LINCOLN  ROOM 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 
LIBRARY 


MEMORIAL 

the  Class  of  1901 

founded  by 

HARLAN  HOYT  HORNER 

and 

HENRIETTA  CALHOUN  HORNER 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign 


http://www.archive.org/details/abrahamlincolninOOclar 


Mr.  Lincoln 

Taken  Early  in  1864  for  Secretary  Seward 

(Collection  of  L.  C.  Handy) 


ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 

IN  THE 

NATIONAL  CAPITAL 

by 

ALLEN  C.  CLARK 


\ 


WASHINGTON,  D.  C 
1925 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1925 

By   ALLEN    C.    CLARK 

In  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress 

at   Washington 


PRESS    OF    W.    F.    ROBERTS    COMPANY 
WASHINGTON,    D.    C. 


HOUGH     HUNDREDS     of 

portraits  have  been  made,  by 
painters  and  photographers 
(many  to  pass  on,  by  copies, 
to  future  times) ,  I  have  never  seen  one  yet 
that  in  my  opinion  deserved  to  be  called  a 
perfectly  good  likeness;  nor  do  I  believe 
there  is  really  such  a  one  in  existence.  May 
I  not  say  too,  that  as  there  is  no  entirely 
competent  and  emblematic  likeness  of 
Abraham  Lincoln  in  picture  or  statue, 
there  is  not — perhaps  cannot  be — any 
fully  appropriate  literary  statement  or 
summing-up  of  him  yet  in  existence  ? 

Walt  Whitman. 


CHAPTERS 

PAGE 

I  Autobiographic    _ 2 

II  Congressman „ 3 

III  President  _ I ...... 9 

IV  Assassination    . .. 92 

V  The  Trial  „ 123 

VI  Mrs.  Lincoln   „ „ 165 

VII  Memorials 1 67 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Mr.  Lincoln,  1 864 Frontispiece 

Autograph  _ 3 

Carroll  Row  4 

Mr.  Lincoln,  Age  37  7 

Mrs.  Lincoln  9 

Scene  at  Capitol— March  4,  1861  13 

Summer  Residence — Soldiers'  Home  „ 35 

Mr.  Stanton's  Washington  Home 36 

Gettysburg  Address  5 1 

Fort  Stevens - 6 0 

Toy  Shop  6 1 

Mr.  Lincoln  and  "Tad"  62 

Blair  Mansion,  Silver  Spring,  Maryland 65 

Letter  of  Mrs.  Lincoln 73 

Mr.  Lincoln's  Letter,  August  23,  1864 82 

Inauguration,  March  4,   1865  83 

Ford's   Theatre   95 

Programme  Ford's  Theatre,  April  14,  1865  97 

Diagram  of  Stage 99 

Stage  101 

Laura  Keene „ 108 

516  Tenth  Street _ 113 

Pennsylvania     Avenue  —  Funeral     Procession     of 

Mr.    Lincoln    1 1 6 

Mrs.  Surratt 1 23 

Surratt  House  , ....„„ 1 29 

Place  of  Trial 132 

Wylie  Mansion  «. 1 5 7 

Lincoln  Monument — Court  House  167 

Lincoln  Monument — Lincoln  Square  170 

Lincoln  Memorial 171 


Vll 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

BOOKS  AND  MAGAZINES 

Isaac  N.  Arnold,  The  Life  of  Abraham  Lincoln. 

Francis  B.  Carpenter,  The  Inner  Life  of  Abraham 
Lincoln. 

Ida  M.  Tarbell,  The  Life  of  Abraham  Lincoln. 

D.  B.  Williamson,  Illustrated  Life  Services,  Martyr- 
dom and  Funeral  of  Abraham  Lincoln. 

Daniel  Miller  DeWitt,  Assassination  of  Lincoln. 

Thomas  M.  Harris,  The  Assassination.  A  History  of 
the  Great  Conspiracy. 

Clara  E.  Laughlin,  The  Death  of  Lincoln. 

Osborne  H.  Oldroyd,  Assassination  of  Lincoln. 

T.  B.  Peterson  and  Brother,  Trial  of  the  Assassins 
and  Conspirators. 

George  Alfred  Townsend,  The  Life,  Crime  and  Cap- 
ture of  John  Wilkes  Booth. 

Lafayette  C.  Baker,  History  of  the  Secret  Service. 

Hugh  McCulloch,  Men  and  Measures  of  Half  a 
Century. 

Walt  Whitman's  Specimen  Days. 

Gideon  Wells,  Diary. 

Anonymous,  The  Dobbs  Family  in  America. 

W.  B.  Bryan,  A  History  of  the  National  Capital. 

Allen  C.  Clark,  Greenleaf  and  Law  in  the  Federal 
City. 

L.  A.  Gobright,  Men  and  Things  at  Washington. 

Helen  Nicolay,  Our  Capital  on  the  Potomac. 

Ben:  Perley  Poore's  Reminiscences. 

Columbia  Historical  Society. 


Charles  Lanman's  Dictionary  of  Congress. 

The  Congressional  Globe. 

Benn  Pittman,  Proceedings  of  a  Military  Commission. 

American  Historical  Review. 

Atlantic  Monthly. 

The  North  American  Review. 

Frank  Leslie's  Illustrated  Newspaper. 

NEWSPAPERS 

The  Evening  Star. 

Daily  National  Intelligencer. 

Washington  Chronicle. 

The  Sunday  Morning  Chronicle. 

The  National  Republican. 

Weekly  National  Republican. 

The  Washington  Post. 

Washington  Times. 

Washington  Times-Herald. 

Washington  Journal. 

The  Boston  Daily  Atlas. 

Springfield  Daily  Republican.  (Mass.) 

The  New  York  Herald. 

The  New  York  Times. 

The  Philadelphia  Inquirer. 

Richmond  Daily  Whig. 

The  Bulletin,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

London  Spectator. 

London  Times. 


I.     Autobiographic 

For  Charles  Lanman's  Dictionary  of  Congress,  1858. 
"Born  Feb.  12,  1809,  in  Hardin  county,  Kentucky. 
Education  defective. 
Profession,  a  lawyer. 
Have  been   a  captain   of  volunteers   in   the   Black 

Hawk  war. 
Postmaster  at  a  very  small  office. 
Four  times  a  member  of  the  Illinois  Legislature. 
And  was  a  member  of  the  lower  house  of  Congress. 
Yours,  etc., 

A.  Lincoln. 

"If  any  personal  description  of  me  is  thought  desirable, 
it  may  be  said  I  am,  in  height,  six  feet  four  inches  nearly; 
lean  in  flesh,  weighing  on  an  average  one  hundred  and 
eighty  pounds;  dark  complexion,  with  coarse  black  hair 
and  gray  eyes.     No  other  marks  or  brands  recollected.1 

"It  seems  as  if  the  question  whether  my  first  name  is 
'Abraham'  or  'Abram'  will  never  be  settled.  It  is 
'Abraham'  and  if  the  letter  of  acceptance  is  not  yet  in 
print,  you  may,  if  you  think  fit,  have  my  signature  thereto 
printed  'Abraham  Lincoln'."  a 

1  I860. 

2  To  Hon.  George  Ashmun,  Springfield,  111.,  June  4,  1860. 


Autograph 


II.     Congressman 

Mr.  Lincoln  was  elected  as  a  whig  to  the  Thirtieth 
Congress  March  4,  1847  to  March  3,  1849.  He  was 
the  only  Whig  in  the  delegation  from  Illinois. 

Mr.  Lincoln  registered  at  Brown's  or  The  Indian 
Queen  Hotel,  December  2,  1847.1  He  had  been  in  Con- 
gress a  full  month  when  he  engaged  in  correspondence 
relative  to  reelection.  For  reelection  with  Mr.  Lincoln  it 
was  "Barkis  is  willin\"  however,  his  constituents  required 
more  ardent  wooing.  The  writers  say  Mr.  Lincoln  in 
Congress  was  inactive  and  drew  little  notice.  Their 
statements  are  the  reverse  of  the  fact. 

Mr.  Lincoln  took  quarters  with  Mrs.  Ann  G.  Spriggs, 
widow  of  Benjamin.  The  house  was  in  Carroll  Row  on 
First  street  between  A  and  East  Capitol  streets;  of  the 
six,  the  fourth  from  A.a  At  Mrs.  Spriggs'  were  quartered 
a  number  of  Congressmen  of  the  same  political  principle. 
Of  these  was  Joshua  R.  Giddings,  the  father  of  the 
abolitionists.  Conferences  there  were  held  in  further- 
ance of  the  cessation  of  slavery.  At  one,  Mr.  Lincoln 
presented  a  plan  of  emancipation  in  the  District  of 
Columbia  by  purchase  from  the  slaveholders.8  Of  Mr. 
Lincoln's  acquaintances,  citizens  of  Washington,  were 
Benjamin  B.  French  and  Nathan  Sargent. 

Dr.  Samuel  C.  Busey  used  his  talent,  which  measured 
with  the  scriptural  five  talents,  in  writing  local  history  in 
reminiscent   form.     To  him,   almost   exclusively,   is   an 


1  Information   by   Frederick  L.   Fishback. 

8  Now   covered   by   the   Library   of   Congress. 

8  January   16,   1849. 


4  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

account   of  Mr.   Lincoln's  life   in  Washington  when   a 
Congressman. 

Dr.  Busey,  at  the  dining  table,  sat  nearly  opposite 
Mr.  Lincoln.  The  Doctor  says  that  Mr.  Lincoln, 
although  as  radical  as  any,  had  a  conciliatory  way  that 
disarmed  discord  at  that  troublous  time.  When  the 
argument  threatened  to  be  acrimonious  he  interposed 
with  an  anecdote  that  restored  good  nature.  The  Doctor 
further  says: 

"I  soon  learned  to  know  and  admire  him  for  his  simple 
and  unostentatious  manners,  kindheartedness,  and  amus- 
ing jokes,  anecdotes,  and  witticisms.  When  about  to 
tell  an  anecdote  during  a  meal  he  would  lay  down  his 
knife  and  fork,  place  his  elbows  upon  the  table,  rest  his 
face  between  his  hands,  and  begin  with  the  words  'that 
reminds  me',  and  proceed.  Everybody  prepared  for  the 
explosions  sure  to  follow.  I  recall  with  vivid  pleasure 
the  scene  of  merriment  at  the  dinner  after  his  first  speech 
in  the  House  of  Representatives,  occasioned  by  the 
descriptions,  by  himself  and  others  of  the  Congressional 
mess,  of  the  uproar  in  the  House  during  its  delivery." 

The  speech  which  the  Doctor  calls  'the  first'  is  likely 
that  called  by  Mr.  Lincoln  'Old  Horses  and  Military 
Coat-tails,'  delivered  July  27,  1848.1 

Mr.  Lincoln  was  very  fond  of  bowling.  With 
members  of  Congress  he  had  match  games  on  the  alley 
of  James  Casparis'  hotel,  known  as  the  Congress  Hall 
Refectory,  on  Capitol  Square,  the  corner  immediately 
east  and  opposite  the  House  of  Representatives,  now 
a  part  of  the  Capitol  grounds.8     He  played  the  game 

1  "But,  in  my  hurry,  I  was  very  near  closing  on  the  subject  of  mili- 
tary tails,  before  I  was  done  with  it.  There  is  one  entire  article  of  the 
sort  I  have  not  discussed  yet;  I  mean  the  military  tail  you  Democrats 
are  now  engaged  in  dovetailing  on  to  the  great  Michigander.  Yes,  sir, 
all  his  biographers  (and  they  are  legion)  have  him  in  hand,  tying  him 
to  a  military  tail,  like  so  many  mischievous  boys  tying  a  dog  to  a 
bladder   of  beans." 

2  William  Sanderson,  proprietor,  when  taken  by  the  United  States. 
The  Evening  Star,  May  6,   1923. 


u 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  5 

with  great  gusto.  Whether  he  won  or  lost  it  was  all  the 
same  to  him.  His  gaunt  figure  added  to  the  bystand- 
ers' entertainment.  When  he  played  a  crowd  gathered 
especially  to  hear  his  jokes;  some  of  which  were  reduced 
to  the  appreciation  of  a  mere  man. 

Dr.  Busey  says:  "Congressman  Lincoln  was  always 
neatly  but  very  plainly  dressed,  very  simple  and  approach- 
able in  manner  and  unpretentious  *  *  *  During 
that  session  Mrs.  Lincoln  with  the  eldest  son,  was  at  the 
house  for  a  time,  but  was  so  retiring  that  she  was  rarely 
seen  except  at  the  meals.  Robert  was  a  bright  boy,  about 
four  years  old,  and  seemed  to  have  his  own  way." 

Mr.  Lincoln  was  a  heart-and-soul  supporter  of  General 
Taylor  for  President.  He  perceived  the  trend  to  his 
liking  and  humorously  communicated  his  perception  to 
his  friend: 

To  Archibald  Williams. 

"Washington,  June  12,  1848. 
"Dear  Williams: 

On  my  return  from  Philadelphia,  where  I  have  been 
attending  the  nomination  of  'Old  Rough'  *  *  * 
One  unmistakable  sign  is  that  all  the  odds  and  ends  are 
with  us — Barnburners,  Native  Americans,  Tyler  men, 
disappointed  office  seeking  Locofocos,  and  the  Lord 
knows  what." 

Mr.  Lincoln  made  several  out-of-town  trips  to  promote 
the  Taylor  cause.  He  spoke  at  Worcester,  Mass., 
September  12,  1848.  On  the  15th  of  the  same  month  in 
Boston  at  the  Washingtonian  hall  on  Broomfield  street 
he  addressed  the  Young  Men's  Whig  Club.  The  weather 
was  sultry  and  Mr.  Lincoln  wore  an  alpaca  coat.  The 
Boston  Atlas  had  in  the  next  day's  issue,  "a  speech  for 
an  hour  and  a  half  which  for  sound  reasoning,  cogent 
argument  and  satire,  we  have  seldom  heard  equalled" ; 
and,  "as  soon  as  he  had  concluded,  three  rousing  cheers 


6  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

were  given  for  Taylor  and  Fillmore,  and  three  more  for 
Mr.  Lincoln,  the  Lone  Star  of  Illinois". 

The  municipal  commission  of  Boston  on  marking  his- 
torical sites  provided  a  tablet.  The  dedication  cere- 
monies were  held,  August  10,  1924,  during  the  G.  A.  R. 
national  encampment. 

William  Pinkney  Whyte,  Governor  Whyte  of  Mary- 
land, "the  grand  old  man  of  the  Senate"  had  a  high 
pitched  voice,  with  the  sweet  sound  of  silvery  bells  and 
with  that  appealing  effect  that  he  made  twenty  murderers 
appear  to  the  juries  guiltless  and  even  made  the  murder- 
ers doubtful  of  their  guilt. 

Gov.  Whyte  and  myself  were  interested  in  the  hearing 
of  a  cause  at  Upper  Marlborough.  The  hearing  ended 
and  passing  at  noon  the  ancient  hotel  I  suggested  we 
enter.  The  Governor  refused.  At  a  secluded  spot  he 
brought  out  two  turkey  sandwiches,  each  of  the  thickness, 
width,  and  circumference  of  a  new  minted  silver  dollar. 
He  divided;  and  then  to  this  purport  proceeded;  I  refused 
to  go  into  the  hotel  and  to  offset  the  refusal  I  will  tell 
you  a  reminiscence  connected  with  it.  When  Mr.  Lincoln 
was  a  Congressman  he  and  I  campaigned  in  Maryland. 
Coming  from  Charlotte  Hall,  at  night,  we  were  fatigued 
and  the  horses  fagged.  We  put  up  at  that  hotel.  Our 
room  faced  the  rear.  In  the  morning  I  arose  first  and 
assuming  a  woe  begone  tone  I  said,  Abe,  you  should  see 
your  horse,  Mr.  Lincoln  jumped  out  of  bed,  and  as  he 
jumped,  exclaimed  "My  Lord,  he  isn't  dead  is  he?" 
The  horse  was  in  fact  frisking  like  a  colt  as  if  he  had 
indulged  in  some  equine  elixir.  Gov.  Whyte  explained 
that  Mr.  Lincoln  was  very  poor. 

Mr.  Taylor,  who  located  in  Washington,  was  an 
intimate  acquaintance  of  my  early  days.  It  was  not 
until  the  preparation  of  this  paper  that  I  learned  of 


Mr.  Lincoln,  Age  37 
First  Portrait  Taken  Upon  Entry  into  Political  Life 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  7 

Mr.  Taylor's  close  connection  with  Mr.  Lincoln.  Mr. 
Taylor  at  the  time  of  the  letter  was  Mayor  of  Keokuk, 
Iowa. 

Springfield,  111.,  Sept.  6,  1859. 
"Hawkins  Taylor,  Esq. 

"My  dear  Sir: 
*      *      *      It  is  bad  to  be  poor.     I  shall  go  to  the  wall 
for  bread  and  meat  if  I  neglect  my  business  this  year  as 
last." 

Elihu  B.  Washburne  gives  the  reminiscence.  Mr. 
Lincoln  when  a  Congressman  borrowed  of  the  Librarian 
of  the  Supreme  Court  some  law  books.  He  piled  them 
on  a  table  wrapped  them  with  a  bandana  handkerchief 
and  through  a  knot  in  the  handkerchief  he  ran  a  stick 
which  he  brought  for  the  purpose.  He  shouldered  the 
bundle.  In  a  few  days  he  returned  the  books  by  the 
same  method. 

Many  a  true  word  is  spoken  in  jest.  Once  a  jest  was 
the  medium  of  prophecy.  It  was  Mr.  Lincoln's  reference 
to  himself  as  a  candidate  for  President.  It  was  in  a 
speech  delivered  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  July 
27,  1848. 

"By  the  way,  Mr.  Speaker,  did  you  know  that  I  am  a 
military  hero  ?  Yes,  sir,  in  the  days  of  the  Black  Hawk 
war,  I  fought,  bled,  and  came  away.  Speaking  of 
General  Cass'  career,  reminds  me  of  my  own.  I  was  not 
at  Stillman's  defeat,  but  I  was  about  as  near  to  it  as  Cass 
was  to  Hull's  surrender;  and,  like  him  I  saw  the  place 
very  soon  afterwards.  It  is  quite  certain  I  did  not  break 
my  sword,  for  I  had  none  to  break;  but  I  bent  a  musket 
pretty  badly  on  one  occasion.  If  Cass  broke  his  sword, 
the  idea  is,  he  broke  it  in  desperation;  I  bent  the  musket 
by  accident.  If  General  Cass  went  in  advance  of  me  in 
picking  whortleberries,  I  guess  I  surpassed  him  in  charges 
upon  the  wild  onions.  If  he  saw  any  live  fighting  Indians, 
it  is  more  than  I  did,  but  I  had  a  good  many  bloody 


8  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

struggles  with  the  mosquitoes;  and  although  I  have 
never  fainted  from  loss  of  blood,  I  can  truly  say  I  was 
often  very  hungry. 

"Mr.  Speaker,  if  I  should  ever  conclude  to  doff  what- 
ever, our  Democratic  friends  may  suppose  there  is  of 
black-cockade  Federalism  about  me,  and,  thereupon,  they 
shall  take  me  up  as  their  candidate  for  the  Presidency, 
I  protest  they  shall  not  make  fun  of  me,  as  they  have 
of  General  Cass,  by  attempting  to  write  me  into  a  military 
hero." 

The  inaugural  ball  at  the  induction  of  Zachary  Taylor 
into  the  Presidency  was  held  Monday,  March  5,  1849. 
The  structure  for  it  was  at  the  west  of  the  City  Hall. 
It  to  that  time  was  the  most  brilliant.  Mr.  Lincoln 
with  Elihu  B.  Washburne  and  a  few  others  made  a  party. 
It  to  Mr.  Lincoln  was  a  scene  of  novelty  and  of  splendor. 
Towards  three  or  four  o'clock  the  party  went  to  the  cloak 
room.  Mr.  Lincoln  found  his  cloak  but  after  an  hour's 
search  not  his  hat.  Mr.  Washburne  says:  "Taking  his 
cloak  on  his  arm,  he  walked  into  Judiciary  Square, 
deliberately  adjusting  it  on  his  shoulders,  and  started  off 
bareheaded  for  his  lodgings.  It  would  be  hard  to  forget 
the  sight  of  that  tall  and  slim  man,  with  his  short  cloak 
thrown  over  his  shoulders,  starting  for  his  long  walk 
home  on  Capitol  Hill  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning 
without  any  hat  on." 

Twelve   years   later    in   the    same    square,    Lincoln 
attended  another  inaugural  ball. 


Mrs.  Lincoln 
Inaugural  Ball  Gown 


III.     President 

Mr.  Lincoln  arrived  Saturday,  February  23,  1861, 
quite  early,  and  quartered  at  the  Willard.  He  came  in 
a  strategic  way  to  circumvent  attack.  Mrs.  Lincoln 
arrived  the  same  day  in  the  evening  with  the  three  sons. 
The  Lincoln  retinue  makes  a  long  list.  The  first  personal 
reference  to  Mrs.  Lincoln  is:  "The  peep  afforded  at  Mrs. 
Lincoln  in  passing  from  the  carriage  to  the  hotel  pre- 
sented a  comely,  matronly,  lady-like  face,  bearing  an 
unmistakable  air  of  goodness,  strikingly  the  opposite  of 
the  ill-natured  portraits  of  her  by  the  pens  of  some  of 
the  sensation  writers."1 

That  first  day  Mr.  Lincoln  had  an  indication  of  the 
labors  that  lie  before.  At  eleven  he  with  Mr.  Seward 
called  on  President  Buchanan,  who  after  a  chat,  intro- 
duced them  to  the  Cabinet.  The  Illinois  delegation 
under  the  direction  of  Stephen  A.  Douglas  called  at 
two-thirty.  Interviews  there  were  with  General  Winfield 
Scott,  Francis  P.  Blair,  Sr.  and  Montgomery  Blair.  At 
seven  he  dined  with  Mr.  Seward  who  lived  at  1325  F 
street,  present  numbering.  At  nine  at  the  hotel  came 
the  Peace  Commission  with  Ex-President  Tyler  and 
Governor  Chase  of  Ohio  at  the  head.  Followed  a  recep- 
tion to  the  citizens;  and  to  that,  receiving  the  respects 
of  the  ladies  who  had  assembled  in  the  parlors.  At 
ten  came  Mr.  Buchanan's  Cabinet  to  make  a  reciprocal 
call. 

On  Sunday,  Mr.  Lincoln,  with  Mr.  Seward  attended 
service  at  St.  John's  Church.  Mr.  Lincoln  came  un- 
heralded and  his  presence  was  known  only  to  a   few. 


1  The  Evening  Star. 


10  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

They  sat  in  pew  number  one,  right  in  front  of  the  chancel. 
The  rector,  Rev.  Smith  Pyne,  without  intimation  of  the 
distinguished  addition  to  the  congregation  preached  and 
selected  with  special  appropriateness.  "Mr.  Lincoln 
was  dressed  in  plain  black  clothes,  with  black  whiskers 
and  hair  well  trimmed,  and  was  pronounced  by  such  as 
recognized  him  as  a  different  man  entirely  from  the  hard- 
looking  pictorial  representations  seen  of  him.  Some  of 
the  ladies  say  he  is  almost  good  looking."1 

The   Mayor,   James   G.   Berret,   and  the   Boards   of 
Aldermen  and  Common  Council  made  a  welcome  to  the 
President-elect,  February  27. 
The  Mayor: 

"Mr.  Lincoln:  As  the  President  elect,  under  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  you  are  soon  to  stand 
in  the  august  presence  of  a  great  nation  of  freemen, 
and  to  enter  upon  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  the 
highest  trust  known  to  our  form  of  government,  and 
under  circumstances  menacing  the  peace  and  permanency 
of  the  Republic,  which  have  no  parallel  in  the  history 
of  our  country.  It  is  our  earnest  wish  that  you  may  be 
able,  as  we  have  no  doubt  that  you  will,  to  perform  the 
duties  in  such  a  manner  as  shall  restore  power  and 
harmony  to  our  now  distracted  country,  and  finally  bring 
the  old  ship  into  a  harbor  of  safety  and  prosperity, 
thereby  deservedly  securing  the  universal  plaudits  of  the 
whole  world.  I  avail  myself,  sir,  of  this  occasion  to  say 
that  the  citizens  of  Washington,  true  to  the  instincts  of 
constitutional  liberty,  will  ever  be  found  faithful  to  all 
the  obligations  of  patriotism,  and  as  their  chief  magis- 
trate, and  in  accordance  with  the  honored  usage,  I  bid 
you  welcome  to  the  seat  of  government." 
Mr.  Lincoln: 

"Mr.  Mayor:  I  thank  you,  and  through  you  the 
municipal  authorities  of  this  city  who  accompany  you, 
for  this  welcome.    And  as  it  is  the  first  time  in  my  life, 

1  The  Evening  Star. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  1 1 

since  the  present  phase  of  politics  has  presented  itself 
in  this  country,  that  I  have  said  anything  publicly  within 
a  region  of  the  country  where  the  institution  of  slavery 
exists,  I  will  take  this  occasion  to  say  that  I  think  very 
much  of  the  ill  feeling  that  existed  and  still  exists  between 
the  people  in  the  section  from  whence  I  came  and  the 
people  here  is  dependent  upon  a  misunderstanding  of 
one  another.  I  therefore  avail  myself  of  this  opportunity 
to  assure  you,  Mr.  Mayor,  and  all  the  gentlemen  present, 
that  I  have  not  now,  and  never  have  had,  any  disposition 
to  treat  you  in  any  respect  otherwise  than  as  my  own 
neighbors.  I  have  not  now  any  purpose  to  withhold 
from  you  any  of  the  benefits  of  the  Constitution,  under 
any  circumstances,  that  I  would  not  feel  myself  con- 
strained to  withhold  from  my  own  neighbors;  and  I  hope, 
in  a  word  that  when  we  shall  become  better  acquainted 
— and  I  say  it  with  great  confidence — we  shall  like  each 
other  better.  I  thank  you  for  the  kindness  of  this 
reception." 

Talk  of  assassination  was  rife  and  on  the  day  preced- 
ing the  inauguration  Mr.  Lincoln  said:  "Don't  let  your 
wife  come  to  my  inauguration.  It  is  best  for  our  women 
to  remain  indoors  on  that  day,  as  the  bullets  may  be 
flying."  The  advice  was  given  to  John  R.  Briggs,  the 
husband  of  the  famous  authoress,  Susan  Edson  Briggs, 
"Olivia."1 

The  reporter  of  the  Star  had  a  comprehensive  vision 
and  saw  closely  and  distantly  and  a  great  deal  more 
than  the  other  reporters;  and  like  the  merry  Yorick  was 
"a  fellow  of  infinite  jest,  of  most  excellent  fancy."  He 
saw  the  crowd,  each  of  which,  waiting  for  a  chance  to 
let  the  guest  of  parlor  number  six  see  his  writings  which 
advised  his  availability  and  ability  to  serve  the  govern- 
ment behind  a  desk.  The  sight  of  the  hungry  ought  to  have 
stirred  the  sympathies  of  the  reporter  yet  it  did  not; 


1  Washington   Times,  February  9,   1902. 


12  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

he  only  took  advantage  of  the  sight  to  display  his 
humorous  style.  He  noticed  that  the  applicants  with 
dejected  countenances  jerked  their  testimonials  into  their 
pockets  when  told  it  is  too  late  today  and  in  words 
equivalent  to  those  of  this  slangful  day,  to  take  the  air. 
It  is  a  fact  that  Mr.  Lincoln  in  this  pre-inauguration 
time  was  warded  from  the  office  seekers  very  success- 
fully. 

The  reporter  says  not  only  the  usual  but  an  unusual 
number  of  crazy  people  came  to  the  Lincoln  inauguration. 
Not  every  one  cares  to  read  of  the  misfortunes  of  those 
whose  machinery  in  the  head  is  broken;  and  to  the  few 
who  may,  only  one  case  is  recorded  and  that  in  the 
reporter's  own  words: 

"The  'Other1  Inaugural  Address.  About  half  an  hour 
before  the  procession  reached  the  Capitol  yesterday,  a 
little  man  in  large  red  whiskers  and  dressed  in  travel- 
stained  attire,  who  had  been  lounging  about  the  edges 
of  the  crowd  for  some  time,  mounted  into  one  of  the 
tall  trees  in  front  of  the  east  portico,  and  selecting  a 
strong  and  convenient  branch,  he  perched  himself  upon 
it,  and  drawing  a  package  of  manuscript  from  his  pocket, 
began  with  many  oratorical  flourishes  to  deliver  an 
address  to  the  crowd  below.  His  eccentric  and  some- 
what perilous  gyrations  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
several  thousand  spectators  there  assembled,  all  of  whom 
awaited  to  see  him  tumble  headlong.  What  his  speech 
amounted  to  no  one  could  tell,  beyond  the  fact  that  it 
appeared  to  be  a  discursive  homily  upon  the  vices  of  the 
times."1 

The  reporter  saw  Mr.  Buchanan's  private  carriage, 
a  closed  one,  draw  up  to  the  hotel  entrance.  From 
the  movements,  he  guessed  there  was  a  parley;  that  Mr. 
Lincoln  made  known  his  preference  for  an  open  carriage 


1  Thomas  B.    Durkin   in  the   Evening  Star,  April    16,    1921,  gives  hi* 
recollection  of  the  orator  in  the  tree. 


T 


Scene  at  Capitol — March  4,  1861 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  13 

in  which  all  could  see  him.  Such  a  carriage  was  sub- 
stituted. With  the  President-retiring  and  the  President- 
elect sat  Senators  Baker  and  Pearce.  Benjamin  B. 
French  was  the  Marshal-in-chief. 

The  body  guard  of  Mr.  Lincoln  was  the  8th  Battalion, 
D.  C.  Volunteers.  The  battalion  consisted  of  three  com- 
panies under  the  command  of  Major  Arthur  Balbach.  It 
marched  before,  behind  and  at  the  sides  of  the  carriage. 
From  the  battalion  were  stationed  along  the  route  at 
overlooking  positions,  sharpshooters.  The  battalion  was 
composed  entirely  from  the  German  citizens  of  Wash- 
ington. It  was  organized  early  in  1861  and  first  marched 
in  connection  with  the  exercises  at  the  unveiling  of  the 
Washington  statue  at  Washington  Circle,  February  22.1 

Chief  Justice  Taney  administered  the  oath. 
The  President's  address  had  the  conclusion : 

"In  your  hands,  my  dissatisfied  fellow-countrymen,  and 
not  in  mine,  is  the  momentous  issue  of  civil  war.  The 
Government  will  not  assail  you.  You  can  have  no  con- 
flict without  being  yourselves  the  aggressors.  You  have 
no  oath  registered  in  Heaven  to  destroy  the  Government, 
while  I  shall  have  the  most  solemn  one  to  'preserve, 
protect  and  defend'  it.  I  am  loth  to  close.  We  are  not 
enemies,  but  friends.  We  must  not  be  enemies.  Though 
passion  may  have  strained,  it  must  not  break  our  bonds 
of  affection.  The  mystic  chords  of  memory  stretching 
from  every  battle  field  and  patriot  grave  to  every  living 
heart  and  heartstone  all  over  this  broad  land,  will  yet 
swell  the  chorus  of  the  Union,  when  again  touched,  as 
surely  they  will  be,  by  the  better  angels  of  our  nature." 

In  the  inaugural  parade  was  the  car,  or  float,  "Con- 
stitution". It  carried  little  girls,  each  dressed  in  white 
and  adorned  with  a  laurel  wreath.  Two  stood  for  the 
Goddess  of  Liberty;  each  of  the  others,  thirty-five,  bore 


1  Washington   Journal    {German) — August    8,    1924. 


14  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

a  coat  of  arms  of  a  State  or  Territory.  The  car  was 
drawn  by  six  white  horses  with  white  covers  on  which 
was  inscribed  in  red  letters  "Union".  A  little  while 
after  Mr.  Lincoln  arrived  at  the  White  House  so  did 
the  car  and  its  charming  contents.  The  little  Misses 
climbed  down  and  the  crowd  of  them  called  on  Mr. 
Lincoln.  Each  he  picked  up  and  kissed.  A  curl  of  one 
caught  in  his  buttonhole  and  a  bystander  slyly  remarked 
that  he  was  trying  to  take  possession  of  it. 

Perhaps  somewhere  in  the  United  States  lives  or  per- 
haps yet  abides  in  the  Capital  City,  a  lady  with  hair 
touch  that  indicates  three  score  and  ten  who  was  one  of 
the  thirty-seven;  and  who  smiles  sweetly  as  she  calls  to 
mind  her  pleasant  part  in  the  episode.1 

"The  platform  for  the  cermony  of  taking  the  oath,  and 
the  tribute  for  the  inaugural  address,  had  been  erected  in 
front  of  the  Senate  wing  of  the  Capitol. 

"After  the  oath  had  been  administered,  Mr.  Lincoln 
proceeded  to  the  tribune.  He  carried  his  hat  in  his  right 
hand  and  a  roll  of  papers  in  his  left.  As  he  looked 
about  for  some  place  to  put  his  hat,  he  turned  this  way 
and  that,  when  Senator  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  of  Illinois, 
who  had  been  one  of  his  competitors  for  the  Presidency 
and  had  polled  a  very  large  popular  vote,  although  he 
had  received  only  the  electoral  vote  of  Missouri, 
courteously  reached  out  his  hand — as  he  was  on  Mr. 
Lincoln's  right  and  a  little  behind  him — took  the  embar- 
rassing hat  and  held  it  during  the  address. 

"Mr.  Lincoln  unrolled  the  paper,  which  seemed  to  be 


1  Virginia  Jacobs,  Martha  Raley,  Hannah  Williams,  Harriet  S.  Gor- 
don, Mary  S.  Gordon,  Jane  S.  Gordon,  Ellen  Grimes,  Martha  E.  Mil- 
stead,  Mary  E.  Milstead,  Elizabeth  Ann  Marshall,  Caroline  Fishman, 
Margaret  Goodwin,  Emma  Fishman,  Emilie  Fishman,  Mary  Herrity, 
Belle  Garcia,  Emma  Slade,  Maria  Newman,  Anna  Newman,  Lizzie 
Childress,  Sarah  Brown,  Isabella  Childress,  Sarah  Cronin,  Margaret 
Cronin,  Lucy  A.  Miller,  Jane  Miles,  Mary  Cassidy,  Rosanna  King,  Alice 
Avery,  Cora  V.  Crampsey,  Mary  Noon,  Anna  Noon,  Lucy  V.  Blanchard, 
Willie  Plant,  Florence  Kelly,  Minana  Hodges,  and  Elizabeth  R.  Cramp- 
sey. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  15 

in  the  form  of  galley  proof,  placed  it  upon  the  desk  or 
lectern  and  put  a  cane  across  the  top  to  prevent  its  roll- 
ing up,  and  to  keep  it  in  place.  Although  the  portico 
and  the  projecting  steps  were  well  filled,  they  were  not 
crowded.  There  was  no  great  number  of  people  on  the 
open  ground  immediately  in  front  of  the  President  and 
it  was  easy  to  move  up  close  to  him.  All  who  were 
anxious  to  hear  could  get  within  earshot.  Whether  it 
was  due  to  fear  or  to  some  other  cause,  the  majority 
of  those  in  front  of  the  President  were  evidently  disposed 
to  keep  at  a  respectful  distance.  Captain  Reynolds  and 
I  stood  directly  in  front  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  not  over  twelve 
or  fifteen  feet  off,  and  had  plenty  of  room  to  move 
around.  We  saw  above  us  an  honest,  kindly  but  care- 
worn face,  shadowed  into  almost  preternatural  serious- 


Joseph  Howard,  Junior,  at  the  time  the  correspon- 
dent of  The  New  York  Times,  says : 

uThere  had  always  been  a  feeling  of  friendship  exist- 
ing between  Mr.  Lincoln  and  Judge  Douglas;  and  the 
manner  in  which  the  latter  acted  just  prior  to  the  Inau- 
guration, and  the  gallant  part  he  sustained  at  that  time, 
as  well  as  afterwards,  served  to  increase  their  mutual 
regard  and  esteem.  It  was  my  good  fortune  to  stand 
by  Mr.  Douglas  during  the  reading  of  the  Inaugural  of 
President  Lincoln.  Rumors  had  been  current  that  there 
would  be  trouble  at  that  time,  and  much  anxiety  was 
felt  by  the  authorities  and  the  friends  of  Mr.  Lincoln 
as  to  the  result.  'I  shall  be  there,'  said  Douglas,  'and 
if  any  man  attacks  Lincoln,  he  attacks  me,  too.'  As 
Mr.  Lincoln  proceeded  with  his  address,  Judge  Douglas 
repeatedly  remarked,  'Good!'  'That's  fair!'  'No  backing 
out  there!'  'That's  a  good  point!'  etc.,  indicating  his 
approval  of  its  tone,  as  subsequently  he  congratulated  the 
reader  and  endorsed  the  document."  2 


lRev.  George  Williamson  Smith.  A  Critical  Moment  for  Washington. 
Records   of   the   Columbia   Historical   Society.   Vol.   21. 

2  Reminiscences  of  Stephen  A.  Douglas.  Atlantic  Monthly.  Vol.  VIII. 
p.  211. 


16  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

The  inaugural  ball  room  was  parallel  to  the  north 
wall  of  the  City  Hall.  It  was  entered  through  the 
center  by  a  covered  stairway.  The  promenade  hall  and 
the  supper  room,  south  and  north  respectively  of  equal 
length,  adjoined. 

At  eleven  o'clock,  Mr.  Lincoln  arrived  with  Mr. 
Berret,  the  Mayor,  his  escort;  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  with 
Judge  Douglas,  her  escort.  It  had  been  rumored  that 
the  people  of  Washington  did  not  intend  to  patronize 
the  affair.  Judge  Douglas  gave  an  effectual  snub  to  this 
hostility  which  won  him  friends  among  his  political 
opposites.1  Gautier,  caterer  of  local  celebrity,  built  a 
wonderful  centerpiece,  a  pyramid,  with  thirty  four  flags, 
each  stamped  with  the  seal  of  a  state.2 

The  Evening  Star  of  the  initial  reception  tells,  March  9 : 
"But  the  downright  serious  hard  work  of  the  evening 
was  performed  by  President  Lincoln,  who  for  more  than 
two  hours  (i.e.  from  quarter  past  eight  o'clock  till  half 
past  ten)  shook  hands  in  right  good  earnest  with  all 
comers,  at  the  rate  of  twenty-five  per  minute,  (as  timed 
by  a  gentleman  in  his  vicinity)  or  one  thousand  five  hun- 
dred per  hour. 

"The  last  scene  of  the  levee  was  a  tragic  one.  The 
mob  of  coats,  hats  and  caps  left  in  the  hall  had  some- 
how got  inextricably  mixed  up  and  misappropriated,  and 
perhaps  not  one  in  ten  of  that  large  assemblage  emerged 
with  the  same  outer  garments  they  wore  on  entering. 
Some  thieves  seem  to  have  taken  advantage  of  the  oppor- 
tunity to  make  a  grand  sweep,  and  a  very  good  business 
they  must  have  done.  Some  of  the  victims  utterly  refus- 
ing to  don  the  greasy,  kinky  apologies  for  hats  left  on 
hand,  tied  up  their  heads  in  handkerchiefs  and  so  wended 
their  way  sulkily  homeward." 

Mr.  Mangan  was  cautious  with  reward  for  his 
cautiousness.  The  Washington  Post,  August  3,  1924: 


1  Atlantic  Monthly.  Vol.  VIII,  p.   211. 

2  Charles   Gautier.   1217  '19  Pennsylvania   Avenue. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  17 

"I  went  to  Mr.  Lincoln's  first  reception,  and  the  door- 
man told  me  I  would  have  to  leave  my  overcoat  out- 
side. I  told  him  pretty  quick  that  it  was  the  only  heavy 
overcoat  I  had  and  that  I  didn't  care  to  lose  it,  so  I 
didn't  go  in.  I  heard  from  the  doorkeeper  afterward 
that  there  were  nearly  three  hundred  overcoats  taken  by 
mistake  or  otherwise  that  night." 

With  the  title  "First  Visit  of  an  Old  Lady  to  Wash- 
ington," The  Sunday  Morning  Chronicle,  April  14,  1861, 
is  reference  to  the  first  levee: 

"Well,  I  went  to  the  levee.  I  was  too  curious  to  allow 
myself  to  be  worried  by  the  rush,  and  presently  I  got 
into  a  corner  on  a  sofa  and  indulged  myself  at  the  scene. 
Mr.  Lincoln  did  not  seem  much  frightened  because  he 
was  elected  President,  and  I  never  thought  it  was  exactly 
right  to  blame  him  because  he  was. 

"Mrs.  Lincoln  reminded  me  very  much  of  a  very  dear 
friend  at  home.  She  was  graceful,  modest  and  kind  to 
everybody.  I  wondered  whether  she  could  keep  her 
temper  through  all  the  troubles  that  are  before  her?" 

Isaac  N.  Arnold.     The  Life  of  Abraham  Lincoln: 

"Returning  home,  (Charleston),  she  found  a  party 
of  secessionists,  and  on  entering  the  room  she  exclaimed: 
"'I  have  seen  him!  I  have  seen  him!  *  *  *  That 
terrible  monster,  Lincoln,  and  I  found  him  a  gentleman, 
and  I  am  going  to  his  first  levee  after  his  inauguration.' 
"At  his  first  reception,  this  tall  daughter  of  South 
Carolina,  dressing  herself  in  black  velvet,  with  two  long 
white  plumes  in  her  hair,  repaired  to  the  White  House. 
She  was  nearly  six  feet  high,  with  black  eyes,  and  black 
hair,  and  in  her  velvet  and  white  feathers  she  was  a 
striking  and  majestic  figure.  As  she  approached,  the 
President  recognized  her  immediately." 

Mrs.  Briggs,  of  the  levee  many  years  subsequently, 
writes : 

"At  that  time,  as  all  Americans  know,  Lincoln  was  the 
most  jovial  of  men  and  the  contrast  in  his  appearance 
when  I  saw  him  at  the  levee  was  startling.     If  you  have 


18  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

ever  seen  an  oak  tree,  standing  alone  in  a  field,  with  its 
great  gnarled  trunk  and  branches  stretching  heaven- 
ward, the  atmosphere  about  it  charged  with  electricity, 
and  the  black,  thundering  clouds  on  the  horizon  threaten- 
ing any  moment  a  war  of  the  elements,  you  will  realize 
the  impression  made  upon  me  by  Abraham  Lincoln  as  he 
stood  there  in  perpetual  fear  of  a  dagger  thrust  or  a 
bullet,  and  the  warning  notes  of  internecine  strife  sound- 
ing from  the  South. 

"Every  line  in  his  face  evidenced  the  kind,  rugged 
character  of  the  man,  and  every  pose  of  his  gigantic 
figure  indicated  democratic  nobility."1 

In  writing  Abraham  Lincoln  at  the  National  Capital  I 
have  intended  to  adhere  to  the  personal  and  avoid  the 
political.  In  the  preparation  books  have  been  almost 
entirely  ignored.  The  material  is  from  the  newspapers. 
The  newspaper  accounts  must  be  accurate  for  they  are 
concurrent.  I  have  faith  in  the  newspapers,  an  inherited 
faith.  My  granduncle  was  a  Whig  and  he  swore  by 
The  Herald,  the  Whig  organ.  What  was  in  it  he  knew 
was  right.  My  other  granduncle  was  a  Democrat  and 
with  equal  loyalty  swore  by  The  Globe,  the  Democratic 
organ.  He  knew  what  was  in  it  could  not  be  wrong. 
That  which  in  this  paper  is  apparently  digressive  was, 
with  slight  exception,  connected  with  Mr.  Lincoln — it, 
at  least,  came  under  his  eye.  The  newspapers  from  which 
I  have  compiled  are  the  local  Intelligencer,  Chronicle, 
National  Republican,  and  The  Star.  Mr.  Lincoln  read 
these  splendid  newspapers;  once  in  hand  he  could  not 
help  so  to  do.  It  is  a  recorded  fact  that  he  did  read  them 
and  let  his  secretaries  read  the  out-of-town  papers  for 
him. 

Ida  M.  Tarbell  in  The  Life  of  Abraham  Lincoln: 

"He  was  a  very  early  riser,  being  often  at  his  desk 


1  Washington  Times.  February  9,  1902. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  19 

at  six  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  sometimes  even  going 
out  on  errands  at  this  early  hour.  A  friend  tells  of 
passing  the  White  House  early  one  morning  in  the 
spring  of  1861  and  seeing  Mr.  Lincoln  standing  at  the 
gate  looking  anxiously  up  and  down  the  street.  'Good 
morning,  good  morning,'  he  said.  'I  am  looking  for  a 
newsboy.  When  you  get  to  the  corner,  I  wish  you 
would  send  one  up  this  way.'  " 

Here   a  poetic   definition.     Sunday  Morning  Chron- 
icle, January  19,   1862. 

Papa,  What  is  a  Newspaper? 

Organs  that  gentlemen  play,  my  boy, 

To  answer  the  taste  of  the  day,  my  boy, 

Whatever  it  be, 

They  hit  on  the  key. 
And  pipe  in  full  concert  away,  my  boy. 

News  from  all  countries,  my  boy, 

Advertisements,  essays,  and  rhymes,  my  boy, 

Mixed  up  with  all  sorts 

Of  flying  reports, 
And  published  at  regular  times,  my  boy. 

Articles  able  and  wise,  my  boy, 

At  least  in  the  editor's  eyes,  my  boy, 

And  logic  so  grand 

That  few  understand 
To  what  in  the  world  it  applies,  my  boy. 

Statistics,  reflections,  reviews,  my  boy, 

Little  scraps  to  instruct  and  amuse,  my  boy 

And  lengthy  debate 

Upon  matters  of  state, 
For  wise-headed  folk  to  peruse,  my  boy. 


20  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

The  funds  as  they  were  and  are,  my  boy, 

The  quibbles  and  quirks  of  the  bar,  my  boy, 

And  every  week, 

A  clever  critique 
Of  some  rising  theatrical  star,  my  boy. 

The  age  of  Jupiter's  moons,  my  boy, 

The  stealing  of  somebody's  spoons,  my  boy, 

The  state  of  the  crops 

The  style  of  the  fops, 
And  the  wit  of  the  public  buffoons,  my  boy. 

List  of  all  physical  ills,  my  boy, 

Banished  by  somebody's  pills,  my  boy, 

Till  you  ask  in  surprise 

Why  anybody  dies, 
Or  what's  the  disorder  that  kills,  my  boy. 

Who  had  got  married,  to  whom,  my  boy, 
Who  were  cut  off  in  the  bloom,  my  boy, 

Who  has  had  birth 

On  this  sorrow-stained  earth, 
And  who  totters  fast  to  the  tomb,  my  boy. 

The  price  of  cattle  and  grain,  my  boy. 

Directions  to  dig  and  to  drain,  my  boy, 

But  'twould  take  me  too  long 

To  tell  you  in  song, 
A  quarter  of  all  they  contain,  my  boy. 

The  transformation  with  the  Civil  War  was  distinct. 
The  Old  Lady  who  made  her  first  visit  to  Washington 
says: 

"The  long  hair,  gold  headed  canes,  and  free  and 
easy  bearing  of  our  esteemed  friends  from  the  extreme 
South,  have  given  way  to  the  solid,  heavy  stepping,  sun- 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital         21 

burned,   rough-handed  yeomanry   from   the   Northwest, 
the  East,  and  the  Middle  States." 

The  crisis  separated  families,  friends  and  business 
associates.  With  everyone  it  was  either  on  one  side  of 
the  fence  or  the  other;  none  a-straddle.  To  illustrate. 
Some  years  since  I  stopped  at  a  rather  remote  spot  in 
West  Virginia  which  in  the  Civil  War  was  a  border 
line.  The  proprietor  of  the  Drummer's  Rest  was  an 
Ex-Confederate  Captain.  Whether  he  named  his  home- 
like tavern  for  commercial  effect  or  from  war  sentiment, 
it  is  a  guess.  At  evening  twilight  on  the  portico,  said 
the  old  Captain  "Friend:  the  road  in  front  was  danger- 
ous during  the  war.  If  a  stranger  appeared  he  was 
asked:  'Reb  or  Yank'.  If  the  stranger  answered  'Reb' 
he  likely  would  be  shot;  if  he  answered  'Yank'  he  likely 
would  be  shot;  and  if  he  answered,  'neither',  he  surely 
would  be  shot." 

Ex-President  Tyler  was  a  pacifist.  That  did  not  meet 
with  the  sterling  requirement.  As  early  as  September 
(8),  1861,  the  portrait  of  the  Ex-President  in  the  office 
of  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  was  transferred  there- 
from to  the  rubbish  room  in  the  garret. 

The  changed  aspect — peace  to  war — between  the  citi- 
zens of  our  country  so  at  variance  with  the  citizens  of  the 
sky,  some  of  whom  built  their  nests  in  the  White  House 
cannon,  suggested  the  title  "The  Nests  at  Washington," 
written  by  John  James  Piatt,  Washington,  D.  C,  June 
1862. 

"Before  the  White  House  portals, 

The  careless  eyes  behold 
Three  iron  bombs  uplifted, 

Adusk  in  summer  gold. 


22  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

"Deep  in  the  awful  chambers 

Of  the  gigantic  Death, 
The  wrens  their  nests  have  builded 

And  dwelt  with  loving  breath." 

Soon,  very  soon,  came  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  grief 
— grief  that  wrings  the  soul.  Of  the  party  which  came 
with  Mr.  Lincoln  was  Ephraim  Elmer  Ellsworth.1  He 
was  close  to  the  Lincoln  household.  Mr.  Hay  says  that 
Colonel  Ellsworth  soon  became  indispensable  in  the  Presi- 
dential travelling  party.  "No  one  could  manage  like  him 
the  assemblages  of  turbulent  loyalty  that  crowded  and 
jostled  at  every  station."  At  the  levee  it  is  reported 
that  Colonel  Ellsworth  "was  prominent  in  the  throng,  and 
seemed  to  be  a  universal  favorite,  particularly  with  the 
ladies."3  Colonel  Ellsworth  organized  the  New  York 
Zouaves  and  took  the  command.  In  Alexandria,  Va. 
Friday  morning,  May  23,  1861,  Colonel  Ellsworth  was 
killed.  He  was  twenty-four  years  of  age.  Visitors 
found  Mr.  Lincoln  in  tears.  "I  will  make  no  apology 
gentlemen,  for  my  weakness,  but  I  knew  poor  Ellsworth 
well,  and  held  him  in  great  regard.  Just  as  you  entered 
the  room  Captain  Fox  left  me,  after  giving  me  the  pain- 
ful details  of  Ellsworth's  unfortunate  death.  The  event 
was  so  unexpected,  and  the  recital  so  touching,  that  it 
quite  unmanned  me."  3  At  the  Navy  Yard,  where  the 
remains  were  brought,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  were  moved 
to  tears.  The  funeral  services  the  next  day,  Saturday, 
were  held  in  the  Executive  Mansion.     In  the  line  which 


1  Mrs.  Lincoln  and  two  children,  Robert  T.  Lincoln,  Ward  H.  Lamon, 
Lockwood  Todd,  Dr.  W.  S.  Wallace,  John  G.  Nicolay,  John  M.  Hay, 
Hon.  N.  B.  Judd,  Hon.  David  Davis,  Col.  E.  E.  Ellsworth,  L.  M.  Bur- 
gess, G.  C.  Latham,  B.  Forbes,  W.  H.  Forbes,  D.  P.  Wood,  Col.  E.  N. 
Sumner,  Capt.  G.  W.  Hazzard  and  Capt.  J.  C.  Robinson. — National  Re- 
publican, Feb.  25,  1861. 

8  National  Republican,  March  9,  1861. 

3  The  Evening  Star,  May  27,  1861. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  23 

moved  to  the  depot  were  the  President  and  Mrs.  Lincoln. 

Stephen  A.  Douglas  died  June  3,  1861.  He  lived  a 
little  beyond  his  forty-eighth  birthday  anniversary.  Not- 
withstanding the  political  antagonism,  the  duels  of  discus- 
sion, the  frequent  association  must  have  created  a  kind 
relationship.  Mr.  Douglas  married  the  beautiful  Addie 
Cutts,  the  niece  of  Dolly  Madison.  She  accompanied  her 
husband  in  the  memorable  tours  of  debate.  In  the 
agonizing  approach  of  death,  Mrs.  Douglas  leaned  over 
her  husband  and  asked  "Dearest,  have  you  any  message 
for  the  boys,  Roby  and  Stevy."  x  To  which  the  dying 
statesman  replied  "Tell  them  to  obey  the  laws  and  sup- 
port the  Constitution  of  the  United  States."8  In  after 
years  she  told  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  companionship  while 
travelling,  and  of  her  respect  and  regard. 

General  Edward  Dickinson  Baker,  very  prominent 
politically,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war  quickly  went  to  the 
field.  In  Springfield,  Mr.  Lincoln  and  he  were  intimate 
friends.  General  Baker  was  killed  at  Ball's  Bluff, 
October  21,  1861.  The  funeral  services  were  held  the 
24th.  The  President  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  were  attendants. 
During  the  delivery  of  the  eulogies  on  General  Baker 
at  the  Capitol,  President  Lincoln  occupied  a  seat  beside 
Vice  President  Hamlin.  For  a  quarter  of  a  century,  at 
least,  a  President  had  not,  at  the  Capitol,  been  seated 
with  the  presiding  officer. 
National  Republican,  November  4,  1861. 

"Little  Willie  Lincoln,  son  of  President  Lincoln,  has 
sent  us  the  following  verses,  which  are  quite  creditable, 
as  a  first  effort  for  one  so  young.  We  insert  them  with 
pleasure,  and  hope  that  Willie's  desire,  as  expressed  in 


1  Robert  M.  and  Stephen  A.  Douglas. 

3  Quotation  from  the  eloquent  sermon  of  Rev.  John  C.  Smith,  Pastor 
of  the  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church — Daily  National  Republican,  June  10, 
1861.    Rose  Adele  Cutts  subsequently  married  General  Robert  Williams. 


24  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

the  last  verse,  will  meet  with  a  ready  response  by  the 
whole  country.  It  should  not  be  forgotten  that  the  rebels 
gave  Mrs.  Jackson1  one  hundred  thousand  dollars; 
Charleston  alone  giving  twenty  thousand." 

"Washington,  D.  C,  October  30,  1861. 
"Dear  Sir:     I  enclose  you  my  first  attempt  at  poetry. 

"Yours  truly, 

William  W.  Lincoln. 
"The  Editor  of  the  National  Republican." 

Lines 
On  the  death  of  Colonel  Edward  Baker. 

There  was  no  patriot  like  Baker, 

So  noble  and  so  true : 
He  fell  as  a  soldier  on  the  field, 

His  face  to  the  sky  of  blue. 

His  voice  is  silent  in  the  hall. 

Which  oft  his  presence  grac'd 
No  more  he'll  hear  the  loud  acclaim, 

Which  rang  from  place  to  place. 

No  squeamish  notions  filled  his  breast, 

The  Union  was  his  theme, 
"No  surrender  and  no  compromise ," 
His  day  thought  and  nights'  dream. 

His  country  has  her  part  to  play, 

To'rds  those  he  left  behind, 
His  widow  and  his  children  all, — 

She  must  always  keep  in  mind. 

Young  Lincoln  at  the  time  of  the  poetic  offering  was 
eleven  years  of  age.  He  was  of  genial  nature  and  gentle 
manners.  He  was  wondrously  precocious.  And  "so 
systematic  was  he,  that  he  was  accustomed  of  his  own 
accord,  of  a  morning,  to  arrange  a  programme  of  his 


1The  widow  of  the  Jackson  who  shot  Ellsworth. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  25 

duties  for  the  day  giving  each  its  appropriate  time,  and 
manifesting  much  thoughtfulness  and  originality  in  their 
assignment."1 

Willie  Lincoln  died  February  20,  1862.  An  announce- 
ment was  made  to  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representa- 
tives by  the  Cabinet,  each  Secretary  signing,  with  the 
recommendation  that  the  public  and  private  illumination 
of  the  22nd  be  omitted. 

Nathaniel  Parker  Willis  in  the  Home  Journal: 

"This  little  fellow  had  his  acquaintances  among  his 
father's  friends  and  I  chanced  to  be  one  of  them.  He 
never  failed  to  seek  me  out  in  the  crowd,  shake  hands 
and  make  some  pleasant  remark:  and  this,  in  a  boy  of 
about  ten  years  of  age,  was  to  say  the  least,  endearing 
to  a  stranger.  But  he  had  more  than  mere  affectionate- 
ness.  His  self  possession — aplomb,  as  the  French  call 
it — was  extraordinary.  I  was  one  day  passing  the  White 
House,  when  he  was  outside  with  a  playfellow  on  the 
sidewalk.  Mr.  Seward  drove  in,  with  Prince  Napoleon 
and  two  of  his  suite  in  the  carriage;  and  in  a  mock  heroic 
way — terms  of  amusing  intimacy  evidently  existing 
between  the  boy  and  the  Secretary — the  official  gentle- 
man took  off  his  hat,  and  the  Napoleon  party  did  the 
same,  all  making  the  young  prince  President  a  ceremo- 
nious salute.  Not  a  bit  staggered  with  the  homage  Willie 
drew  himself  up  to  his  full  height,  took  off  his  little  cap 
with  graceful  self-possession,  and  bowed  down  formally 
to  the  ground,  like  a  little  ambassador.  They  drove  past, 
and  he  went  on  unconcerned  with  his  play;  the  impromptu 
readiness  and  good  judgment  being  clearly  a  part  of  his 
nature.  His  genial  and  open  expression  of  countenance 
was  none  the  less  ingenuous  and  fearless  for  a  certain 
tincture  of  fun;  and  it  was  in  this  mingling  of  qualities 
that  he  so  faithfully  resembled  his  father." 

Mr.  Lincoln's  characteristic  readiness  in  saying  much 
in  a  few  words  and  by  some  passing  circumstance  to  catch 

1  Daily  National  Republican,  December  14,  1861. 


26  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

the  medium  for  a  happy  and  witty  remark,  was  exhibited 
in  the  patriotically  local  and  national  events — the  flag 
raisings.  At  the  raising  of  the  Post  Office  flag,  May  22, 
1861: 

"Ladies  and  Gentlemen:  I  had  not  thought  to  say  a 
word,  but  it  has  occurred  to  me  that  a  few  weeks  since, 
the  Stars  and  Stripes  hung  rather  languidly  about  the 
staff  all  over  the  nation.  So,  too  was  it  with  the  raising 
of  this  flag.  At  first  it  hung  rather  languidly,  but  the 
glorious  breeze  soon  came  and  caused  it  to  float  as  it 
should  and  we  hope  that  that  same  breeze  is  swelling  the 
glorious  ensign  throught  the  whole  nation." 

At  the  flag  raising  before  the  south  front  of  the  U.  S. 
Treasury,  the  Fourth  of  July,  1861 : 

"The  part  assigned  me  is  to  raise  the  flag,  which,  if 
there  be  no  fault  in  the  machinery,  I  will  do,  and  when 
up,  it  will  be  for  the  people  to  keep  it  up." 

Alva  Johnston  in  The  New  York  Herald  writes  that 
Theodore  Roosevelt  said  to  him  that  the  Lincoln  letter, 
which  is  quoted,  is  the  greatest  thing  in  the  Morgan 
Collection  of  Manuscripts.  The  suggestion  of  the 
natural  partiality  of  the  recommender  is  quaint  and  short. 

Executive  Mansion. 
"November  13,  1861. 
"Hon.  Secretary  of  War. 
"My  dear  Sir: 

"Please  have  the  Adjutant-General  ascertain  whether 

2nd.  Lieut of  Co infantry,  is  not  entitled  to 

promotion.  His  wife  thinks  he  is.  Please  have  this 
looked  into. 

"A.  Lincoln" 

When  one  cannot  for  himself  earn  glory,  it  is  excusable 
in  him  that  he  point  to  the  glories  achieved  by  his  kin. 

"The  battle  is  their  pastime.     They  go  forth 
Gay  in  the  morning,  as  to  the  summer's  sport." 

John  Home 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  27 

When  Mr.  Lincoln  read  of  the  arrival  of  the  Eleventh 
Massachusetts,  of  their  preparedness  in  military  tactics, 
in  camp  paraphernalia  and  in  travelling  facilities — pre- 
paredness even  to  press  agents  to  acquaint  the  world  of 
brave  action  and  splendid  success — he  must  have  felt  the 
elation  of  assured  fortune  in  the  impending  impact. 

The  Evening  Star,  July  2,  1861. 

"The  Eleventh  Massachusetts  Regiment  arrived  here 
12  M.  to-day.  They  came  from  Boston,  and  on  their 
arrival  in  New  York  were  met  with  a  handsome  recep- 
tion at  the  hands  of  the  sons  of  the  Old  Bay  State  resid- 
ing there. 

"Speeches  were  made  and  the  regiment  dined  in  the 
city  barracks.  Previous  to  leaving  Boston  they  were 
encamped  at  Camp  Cameron.  The  regiment  has  been 
organized  since  April  last,  and  is  consequently  in  a  good 
state  of  military  preparedness,  and  well  drilled.  In 
this  regiment  there  is  quite  a  number  of  members  of  the 
press  of  Boston,  including  the  Major  George  F.  Tiles- 
ton,  who  has  long  been  an  assistant  editor  of  the  Boston 
Herald.  Colonel  Clark  was  formerly  commander  of  the 
Boston  Light  Guard,  the  best  drilled  corps  in  the  city 
of  Boston,  and  many  of  his  line  officers  were  formerly 
members  of  that  company.  They  are  armed  with  Spring- 
field muskets.  So  far  as  their  outfit  is  concerned,  no 
regiment  that  has  come  hither  has  come  better  prepared 
for  the  campaign.  They  have  the  best  camp  equipage, 
twenty-five  baggage  wagons,  and  eighty  horses,  and  in  all 
details  are  so  well  provided  that  nothing  is  left  to  be 
provided  by  the  general  Government  save  ammunition 
and  provisions." 

The  regiment  numbered  950;  and  was  accompanied  by 
the  celebrated  Gilmore's  band  of  Salem.  It  camped  on 
Pennsylvania  Avenue  and  was  visited  by  President 
Lincoln. 

When  the  Eleventh  Massachusetts  stacked  arms,  not 
so  long  after,  along  the  murmurless  waters  that  glide 


28  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

around  the  peaceful  village  of  Bladensburg  (Md.)  to 
rest  from  its  away-movement  from  Bull  Run,  the  Shakes- 
peare-versed had  chance  to  call  to  mind  the  sentiment 
from  Mr.  Lincoln's  favorite  tragedy,  Richard  III., 

"Remember   whom  you    are   to   cope   withal; 

A  sort  of  vagabonds,  rascals,  and  run-aways," 
and  to  decide  it  did  not  apply.1 

Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  made  a  visit  to  Washington, 
January  31,  February  1,  2,  and  3,  1862.  He  called  on 
the  prominent  and  the  President.  The  part  in  his  journal 
relative  to  the  President  on  this  visit  is :  "The  President 
impressed  me  more  favourably  than  I  had  hoped.  A 
frank,  sincere,  well  meaning  man,  with  a  lawyer's  habit 
of  mind,  good  clear  statement  of  his  fact,  correct  enough, 
not  vulgar,  as  described,  but  with  a  sort  of  boyish  cheer- 
fulness, or  that  kind  of  sincerity  and  jolly  good  meaning 
that  our  class  meetings  on  Commencement  Days  show, 
in  telling  our  old  stories  over.  When  he  has  made  his 
remark,  he  looks  up  at  you  with  great  satisfaction,  and 
shows  all  his  white  teeth  and  laughs." 

The  Lincoln  administration  period  was  the  golden  era 


1  Col.  George  Clark,  Junior,  was  the  uncle  of  the  writer.  Another 
nephew,  Appleton  P.  C.  Griffin,  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  says  that 
while  the  Colonel  was  drilling  the  regiment  on  the  Boston  Commons 
immediately  preceding  the  departure  for  the  front,  he  broke  from  his 
mother  in  the  crowd  of  onlookers  and  took  a  stand  beside  him. 

Col.  Clark  was  high  in  military  affairs  in  Massachusetts.  He  was  the 
Captain  of  the  Boston  Light  Guards  and  in  command  when  it  came  to 
the  ceremonies  at  the  laying  of  the  cornerstone  of  the  Washington  Monu- 
ment. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War  he  was  in  poor  health.  Not- 
withstanding his  labors  in  enlisting  and  equipping  the  first  men  who 
left  and  the  raising  and  disciplining  his  own  regiment  added  to  his 
physical  disability,  he  did  not  yield  to  the  advice  of  friends  that  it 
would  be  injudicious  to  take  the  field. 

The  11th  Mass.  was  of  the  first  six  regiments  to  serve  as  U.  S.  Vol- 
unteers. Col.  Clark  was  mustered  in  June  13,  1861,  he  resigned  October 
14th,  the  same  year.  After  his  resignation  he  instructed  in  military 
tactics   officers  who  came  from  various  parts  of  New  England. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital         29 

of  American  poetry.     Masterpieces  then  were  born  of 
the  most  gifted  poets,  familiar  to  all  anywise  literary. 
William  Cullen  Bryant: 

"To  him  who  in  the  love  of  Nature,  holds 
Communion  with  her  invisible  forms,  she  speaks 
A  various  language." 

John  T.  Trowbridge : 

"We  are  two  travelers,  Roger  and  I, 

Roger's  my  dog. — 'Come  here  you  scamp!'  " 

Thomas  Buchanan  Read: 

"Up  from  the  South  at  break  of  day 
Bringing  to  Winchester  fresh  dismay, 

And  Sheridan  twenty  miles  away." 
Julia  Ward  Howe : 

"Mine  eyes  have  seen  the  glory  of  the  coming 
of  the  Lord." 

John  Greenleaf  Whittier: 

"Quick,  as  it  fell,  from  the  broken  staff 
Dame  Barbara  snatched  the  silken  scarf. 
'Shoot,  if  you  must,  this  old  grey  head, 
But  spare  your  country's  flag,'  she  said." 

And  by  a  single  poem  is  Ethel  Lynn  Beers  entitled  to 
ceaseless  fame : 

"All  quiet  along  the  Potomac,"  they  say, 
Except  now  and  then  a  stray  picket 
Is  shot  as  he  walks  on  his  beat  to  and  fro, 

By  a  rifleman  hid  in  the  thicket. 
'Tis  nothing — a  private  or  two  now  and  then 

Will  not  count  in  the  news  of  the  battle ; 
Not  an  officer  lost — only  one  of  the  men. 
Moaning  out,  all  alone,  the  death-rattle." 

Early  in  the  Civil  War,  less  than  three  months  from 
the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter  appeared  in  the  Intelligencer  t 
July  3,  1861,  under  the  head  "Patriotic  Poetry"— "Our 


30  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

readers  will  readily  understand  that  we  are  almost  daily 
receiving  poetical  contributions,  but  for  which  we  are 
unable  to  find  room,  and  the  number  of  which  even  for- 
bids us  to  give  them  all  a  careful  reading."  The  col- 
league newspapers  welcomed  contributions  in  verse. 

Editorial,  Sunday  Morning  Chronicle.     May  25,  1863. 

"The  Literature  of  the  War  is  one  of  the  most  inter- 
esting features  of  a  great  struggle.  Apart  from  the  news- 
papers, which  have  been  the  abstract  and  constant 
chronicles  of  the  times,  thousands  of  volunteer  pens  have 
taken  part  in  the  discussion  of  the  questions  involved. 
The  lawyers  have  devoted  themselves  to  the  law  of  the 
case — the  poets  have  sung  their  songs  of  victory,  of 
sorrow,  and  of  exhortation — the  historians  have  taken 
notes  and  printed  them — the  romancers  have  written 
their  stories — and  the  playwrights  have  wrought  at  their 
plays.  In  this  wondrous  rivalry  of  intellect,  Woman 
has  played  a  conspicuous  part.  Some  of  the  finest  pro- 
ductions have  been  the  productions  of  ladies.  Their 
talents  have  been  most  successfully  exerted  on  the  side  of 
their  country.  If  all  that  they  have  published  could  be 
collated  for  the  press  it  would  fill  many  volumes,  and 
would  startle  the  stronger  heads  and  more  experienced 
minds  of  the  masculines.  All  this  genius  has  been  prof- 
itable to  the  country  and  to  the  laborers  in  the  patriotic 
field.  The  country  has  realized  great  results  from  awak- 
ened public  spirit,  and  the  participants  in  this  noble  emu- 
lation have  reaped  rich  rewards  from  their  industry." 

The  Chronicle,  The  National  Republican,  and  The 
Star  were  the  channels  for  the  floods  of  verse.  Some  of 
the  contributaries  were  spasmodic,  some  were  steady.  A 
transient  in  the  camp  would  contribute  his  single  inspira- 
tion. He  who  served  in  a  department  had  more  attacks 
of  inspiration  and  contributed  more  than  once.  The  poets 
of  the  stern  and  the  gentle  sex  were  in  equal  numerical 
strength.  The  poems  collected  in  volumes  would  require 
much  printers'   ink  and  paper.      It  was   the  hope,   or 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital         31 

rather  the  expectation,  of  the  authors  that  their  rhyming 
thought  would  in  books  pass  along  the  generations.  Con- 
trariwise their  thought  rests  in  oblivion.  Indeed  of  the 
versifiers,  themselves,  in  some  instances  is  no  other  iden- 
tification than  their  names.  Versifiers  is  not  used  disparag- 
ingly for  in  my  opinion  the  talent  ran  high. 

Of  all,  stands  in  my  mind,  foremost,  Mary  E.  Nealy. 
An  allusion  in  a  poem  indicates  she  hailed  from  Ohio. 
She  was  a  correspondent  and  sat  in  the  Congressional 
press  gallery.  John  B.  McCarthy,  himself  a  reporter, 
recalls  her  distinctly.  From  the  very  many  and  very 
beautiful  poems  to  make  a  selection  is  embarrassing. 

CAMP  FIRES 

"Afar  on  a  distant  hillside 

I  see  a  thousand  lights; 
They  flicker  and  dance  like  fireflies 

In  the  sobbing,  rainy  nights. 
They  seem  in  the  gloomy  distance, 

Like  living  breathing  things; 
Like  beautiful,  flaming  angels 

That  would  fly,  if  they  had  wings." 

Francis  de  Haes  Janvier  was  a  cultured  man  and  in 
the  government  service.  His  productions  have  had  in 
part  book  preservation.  He  wrote  "God  Save  Our  Presi- 
dent." To  music  set  by  George  Felix  Benkert,  played  by 
the  Marine  Band  it  was  part  of  the  ceremonial  immedi- 
ately at  the  conclusion  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  first  inaugural 
address. 

"All  hail!  unfurl  the  stripes  and  stars  I 

The  banner  of  the  free ! 
Ten  times  ten  thousand  patriots  greet 

The  shrine  of  liberty! 
Come  with  one  heart,  one  hope,  one  aim, 

An  undivided  band, 
To  elevate,  with  solemn  rites, 

The  ruler  of  our  land!" 


32  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

Under  the  pseudonym,  "Howard  Glyndon,"  Laura 
Catherine  Redden  wrote  poetry  and  prose,  fact  and  fic- 
tion. She  was  a  writer  of  news  for  papers  and  periodi- 
cals. She  changed  her  name  to  Searing,  with  Mrs.  before 
it.  She  intended  to  publish  "Poems  of  the  Rebellion ;" 
perhaps  she  did. 

George  G.  W.  Morgan  appears  also  frequently  and 
always  with  editorial  praise.  His  "Old  Oscar  and  His 
Boys",  in  which  the  father  imparts  diverse  wisdom,  is 
commended  "as  among  the  finest  productions  of  the  age; 
it  will  be  a  household  favorite  and  referred  to  long  after 
the  author  shall  have  gone  to  render  an  account  of  the 
talents  entrusted  to  him."  Of  Mr.  Morgan,  who  was 
employed  in  a  government  department  located  on  the 
border  of  Eastern  Branch  of  the  Potomac,  I  cannot  find 
a  trace. 

Of  the  poets  of  frequent  appearance  were  H.  Clay 
Preuss  and  William  Marsh.  Infrequent  poets  are 
William  Henry  Donoho,  Mrs.  Anna  H.  Dorsey,  Thomas 
Fitman,  John  A.  Fowle,  Benjamin  B.  French,  William 
M'Nair,  Rev.  John  Pierpont,  Ben:  Perley  Poore,  Dr. 
William  L.  Shoemaker,  Edmund  C.  Stedman,  George 
Alfred  Townsend,  Henry  R.  Tracy,  Harry  E.  Wood- 
bury,1 Richard  Wright,  and  Mrs.  Alfred  Hunter. 

The  remarkable  poem  in  which  blends  humor  and 
pathos  "I  Fights  Mit  Sigel."  was  written  by  Grant  P. 
Robinson,8  September  26,  1862. 

For  the  National  Republican. 
"I  Fights  Mit  Sigel." 

I  met  him  again,  he  was  trudging  along, 
His  knapsack  with  chickens  was  swelling, 


1  Assistant  Editor,  National  Republican. 
9  The  New  York  Times,  January  11,   1925. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital         33 

He'd  "Blenkered"  these  dainties,   and  thought  it  no 
wrong, 
From  some  absent  secessionist's  dwelling. 
"What  regiment's  yours,  and  under  whose  flag 
Do  you  fight?"  said  I,  touching  his  shoulder. 
Turning  slowly  around,  he  smilingly  said, 

For  the  thought  made  him  stronger  and  bolder: 
"I  fights  mit  Sigel." 

The  next  time  I  saw  him,  his  knapsack  was  gone, 

His  cap  and  his  canteen  were  missing; 
Shell,  shrapnel,  and  grape,  and  the  swift  rifle  ball, 

Around  him  and  o'er  him  were  hissing. 
"How  are  you  my  friend,  and  where  have  you  been, 

And  for  what  and  for  whom  are  you  fighting?" 
He  said,  as  a  shell  from  the  enemy's  gun 
Sent  his  arm  and  his  musket  a  "kiting." 
"I  fights  mit  Sigel." 

And  once  more  I  saw  him,  and  knelt  by  his  side, 

His  life  blood  was  rapidly  flowing; 
I  whispered  of  home,  wife,  children,  and  friends — 

The  'wee  one,'  the  father,  or  mother! 

"Yaw!  Yaw!"    said  he,   "tell   them,   oh!   tell   them,   I 
fights—" 
Poor  fellow,  he  thought  of  no  other — 
"I  fights  mit  Sigel." 

We  scooped  out  a  grave,  and  he  dreamlessly  sleeps 

On  the  bank  of  the  Shenandoah  river, 
His  home  or  his  kindred  alike  are  unknown, 

His  reward  in  the  hands  of  the  Giver. 
We  placed  a  rough  board  at  the  head  of  his  grave, 

"And  left  him  alone  in  his  glory;" 
But  on  it  we  marked,  ere  we  turned  from  the  spot, 
The  little  we  know  of  his  story — 
"I  fights  mit  Sigel." 

G.  P.  R. 
(In  Camp)  Pontoon  Corps, 

Georgetown,  September  22,  1862. 


34  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

"Blenkered"  a  term  quite  common  just  now,  in  the  army, 
for  anything  stolen.  It  came  into  use  soon  after  General 
Blenker's  division  passed  down  the  Shenandoah  Valley.1 

Appeared  in  the  National  Republican,  Jan.  24,  1864, 
subscribed  "John  Hay,  Executive  Mansion,  Washington," 
the  poem : 

"when  the  boys  come  home" 

"There's  a  happy  time  coming 

When  the  boys  come  home 
There's  a  glorious  day  coming 

When  the  boys  come  home. 
We   will   end   the   dreadful   story 

Of  this  treason  dark  and  gory 
In  a  sunburst  of  glory 

When  the  boys  come  home. 

***** 

"Their  bayonets  may  be  rusty 

When  the  boys  come  home. 
And  their  uniforms  dusty 

When  the  boys  come  home. 
But  all  shall  see  the  traces 

Of  battle's  royal  graces 
In  the  brown  and  bearded  faces 

When  the  boys  come  home. 

"Our  love  shall  go  to  meet  them 

When  the  boys  come  home 
To  bless  them  and  to  greet  them 

When  the  boys  come  home. 
And  the  fame  of  their  endeavor 

Time  and  change  shall  not  dissever 
From  the  nation's  heart  forever 

When  the  boys  come  home." 


1  General  Louis  Blenker.  He  was  Colonel  of  the  8th  N.  Y.  Regiment. 
He  had  command  of  the  German  Division  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 
He  was  stationed  at  all  times  not  far  from  the  City  of  Washington.  He 
was  relieved  of  command  in  1862;  mustered  out  March,  1863.  His  death 
in  the  Intelligencer  is  mentioned,  November   5,   1863. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital         35 

The  first  summer  and  all  the  summers  the  President 
lived  at  the  Soldiers'  Home. 

A  California  lady  says  that  with  the  President  in  a 
carriage  passing  through  the  tree-arcaded  approach  to 
the  mansion  another  lady  caught  a  bit  of  green  from  an 
intruding  branch.  The  lady  who  caught  it  claimed  it  to 
be  cedar;  another  lady  claimed  it  to  be  spruce.  Said  Mr. 
Lincoln : 

"Let  me  discourse  on  a  theme  I  understand.  I  know 
all  about  trees  in  right  of  being  a  backwoodsman.  I'll 
show  you  the  difference  between  spruce,  pine  and  cedar, 
and  this  shred  of  green  which  is  neither  one  nor  the  other, 
but  a  kind  of  illegitimate  cypress."1 

I  cannot  improve  by  paraphrasing  and  I  will  quote 
exactly  from  Walt  Whitman's  Specimen  Days,  August 
12,  1863. 

"I  see  the  President  almost  every  day,  as  I  happen  to 
live  2  where  he  passes  to  or  from  his  lodgings  out  of  town. 
He  never  sleeps  at  the  White  House  during  the  hot 
season,  but  has  quarters  at  a  healthy  location  some  three 
miles  north  of  the  city,  the  Soldiers'  Home,  a  United 
States  military  establishment.  I  saw  him  this  morning 
about  Syi  coming  in  to  business,  riding  on  Vermont 
Avenue,  near  L  Street.  He  always  has  a  company  of 
twenty-five  or  thirty  cavalry,  with  sabres  drawn  and  held 
upright  over  their  shoulders.  They  say  this  guard  was 
against  his  personal  wishes,  but  he  let  his  counselors  have 
their  way.  The  party  makes  no  great  show  in  uniforms 
or  horses.  Mr.  Lincoln  on  the  saddle  generally  rides  a 
good-sized  easy-going  gray  horse,  is  dress'd  in  plain  black, 
somewhat  rusty  and  dusty,  wears  a  black  stiff  hat,  and 
looks  about  as  ordinary  in  attire,  &c.  as  the  commonest 
man.  A  lieutenant,  with  yellow  straps,  rides  at  his  left 
and  following  behind,  two  by  two,  come  the  cavalry  men 
in  their  yellow-striped  jackets.  They  are  generally  going 
at  a  slow  trot,  as  that  is  the  pace  set  them  by  the  one 
they  must  wait  upon.     The  sabres  and  accoutrements 

1  San  Francisco  Bulletin. 

2  1407  K  Street  N.W. 


36  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

clank,  and  the  entirely  unornamental  cortege  as  it  trots 
toward  Lafayette  Square  arouses  no  sensation,  only  some 
curious  stranger  stops  and  gazes.  I  see  very  plainly 
Abraham  Lincoln's  dark  brown  face,  with  deep-cut 
lines,  the  eyes,  always  to  me  with  a  deep,  latent  sadness 
in  the  expression.  We  have  got  so  that  we  exchange 
bows,  and  very  cordial  ones.  Sometimes  the  President 
goes  and  comes  in  a  barouche.  The  cavalry  always 
accompany  him,  with  drawn  sabres.  Often  I  notice  as 
he  goes  out  evenings — and  sometimes  in  the  morning, 
when  he  returns  early — he  turns  off  and  halts  at  the  large 
and  handsome  residence  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  on  K 
Street,1  and  holds  conference  there.  If  in  his  barouche, 
I  can  see  from  my  window  he  does  not  alight,  but  sits 
in  the  vehicle,  and  Mr.  Stanton  comes  out  to  attend 
him.  Sometimes  one  of  his  sons,  a  boy  of  ten  or  twelve, 
accompanies  him,  riding  at  his  right  on  a  pony.  In  the 
summer  I  occasionally  saw  the  President  and  his  wife, 
toward  the  latter  part  of  the  afternoons,  out  in  a  ba- 
rouche, on  a  pleasure  ride  through  the  city.  Mrs.  Lincoln 
was  dressed  in  complete  black,  with  a  long  crape  veil. 
The  equipage  is  of  the  plainest  kind,  only  two  horses, 
and  they  nothing  extra.  They  passed  me  once  very  close, 
and  I  saw  the  President  in  the  face  fully,  as  they  were 
moving  slowly,  and  his  look,  though  abstracted,  happened 
to  be  directed  steadily  in  my  eye.  He  bowed  and  smiled 
but  far  beneath  his  smile,  I  noticed  well  the  expression  I 
have  alluded  to.  None  of  the  artists  or  pictures  has  caught 
the  deep,  though  subtle  or  indirect  expression  of  this 
man's  face.  There  is  something  else  there.  One  of  the 
great  portrait  painters  of  two  or  three  centuries  ago  is 
needed." 

When  in  front  of  Secretary  Stanton's,  Mr.  Lincoln 
now  and  then  saw  a  large  crowd — and  enthusiastic — 
arranged  in  a  circle  in  Franklin  Square.  Great  shouts 
rended  the  air.  Mr.  Lincoln  knew  the  all  but  daily 
occurrence  was  not  a  raising  on  a  mighty  staff  the  national 


1  1325   K   Street   N.W. 


Mr.  Stanton's  Washington  Home,  1861-1869 
The  House  Where  He  Died 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  37 

colors.  The  shouts  came  when  a  brilliant  play  was  made 
or  a  clout  over  a  fielder's  head  in  the  national  game. 
Very  likely  he  was  close  to  the  "amusing  and  exciting 
scene"  in  June,  1862,  when  the  Jefferson  l  and  the  Moni- 
tor Base  Ball  Clubs  contended  with  the  close  and  exceed- 
ingly small  score  of  44  to  43. 

Laurance  Mangan  at  the  time  this  is  being  written, 
August,  1924,  is  living  in  the  city  of  Washington.  His 
likeness  in  the  reported  interview  proves  his  intellectual 
integrity.  Mr.  Lincoln's  coachman  was  Mr.  Mangan's 
brother  and  the  brother  being  ill  for  a  week  and  for  that 
week  he  substituted. 

"President  Lincoln  was  a  grand  man.  Quiet  and 
gentle  in  every  respect,  he  was  always  thoughtful  of  those 
who  served  him,  and  although  I  was  but  a  youngster  in 
those  days  and  not  very  long  over  from  Ireland,  Mr. 
Lincoln  treated  me  with  the  same  consideration  he  always 
bestowed  on  his  regular  men. 

"President  Lincoln  was  spending  the  summer  at  what 
is  now  the  Soldiers'  Home  grounds,  occupying  the  house 
of  the  governor  of  the  Home  as  was  then  the  custom, 
and  it  was  there  I  reported  to  him.  I  drove  him  down 
to  the  offices  that  first  morning  and  that  evening  when 
we  returned  the  President  asked  me  to  have  the  horses 
around  again  after  supper,  as  he  wanted  to  go  out  and 
look  at  the  stars  through  that  big  new  telescope  they  had 
installed  at  the  naval  observatory.  I  drove  him  out  there 
that  night  and  was  also  permitted  to  look  through  the 
telescope. 

"The  trip  to  the  observatory  was  about  the  only  long 
one  on  which  I  drove  the  President.  It  sounds  funny, 
I  know,  to  talk  about  that  as  a  long  trip  this  day  and 
time  but  it  was  a  fairly  long  distance  in  those  days. 

"Mr.  Lincoln  was  very  regular  about  his  habits.  He 
called  for  his  carriage   every  morning  about   the   same 

1  Jefferson  Club  organized  May,  1859;  the  National  and  the  Potomac 
a  little  over  a  year  prior  to  April  27,   1862. 


38  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

hour,  and  while  I  was  with  him  at  least,  he  left  for  his 
home  every  night  about  the  same  time.  He  was  greatly 
interested  in  his  children  and  they  used  to  come  to  meet 
him  and  ride  up  to  the  house  with  him."1 

Mr.  Lincoln  was  accessible  to  all  within  the  limits  of 
the  reasonable.  However,  he  had  not  been  the  President 
full  three  months  when  he  announced  that  positively  he 
would  see  no  one  before  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
The  announcement  suggests  the  mental  query  how  soon 
after  the  dawn  the  tormenting  visitors  began  to  ascend 
the  White  House  steps.  The  demands  upon  Mr.  Lincoln 
by  place  seekers,  advice  givers  and  all  other  sorts  of 
nuisances  broke  down  at  time  his  patience  although  Job- 
like. The  Intelligencer,  June  15,  1863,  has  "It  is  one  of 
the  tribulations  which  must  greatly  add  to  the  fatigues 
of  office  at  this  juncture,  that  our  amiable  President  has 
to  give  so  much  of  his  time  and  attention  to  persons 
who  apparently  having  no  business  of  their  own,  expend 
a  large  degree  of  their  surplus  energy  in  benevolently 
minding  the  business  of  the  President.'' 

At  a  distracted  time,  Mr.  Lincoln  was  called  upon 
while  at  his  country  residence  by  an  officer  with  a  request; 
the  officer  received  instead  of  the  grant  thereof  a  severe 
reprimand.  Next  the  President  came  to  the  Colonel, 
and  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  to  him  said: 

"I  treated  you  brutally  last  night,  I  ask  your  pardon. 
I  was  utterly  tired  out,  badgered  to  death.  I  generally 
become  about  as  savage  as  a  wild-cat  by  Saturday  night, 
drained  dry  of  the  milk  of  human  kindness.  I  must  have 
seemed  to  you  the  very  gorilla,  the  rebels  paint  me.  I  was 
sorry  for  it  when  you  were  gone.  I  could  not  sleep  a 
moment  last  night,  so  I  thought  I'd  drive  into  town  in 
the  cool  of  the  morning  and  make  it  all  right." 

The    incident    indicates    the    simplicity    of    Lincoln's 


1  The  Washington  Post,  August  3,  1924. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital         39 

character,  the  strength,  too.  To  do  what  seems  weak- 
ness in  the  eyes  of  the  world  is  to  be  strong. 

Mr.  Lincoln  from  democratic  inclination,  or  the  habit 
of  doing  for  himself  and  not  having  others  do  for  him, 
or  the  anxiety  to  know  at  once,  did  the  calling.  He 
called  on  General  McClellan  at  his  headquarters1  and 
was  informed  that  the  young  and  popular  officer  was  at 
luncheon.  Mr.  Lincoln  did  not  tarry.  The  young  General 
was  not  to  be  disturbed  when  engaged  in  anything 
important.  The  President  knew  that  for  it  was  in  the 
newspaper  that  when  the  citizens  came  to  serenade 
General  McClellan  and  the  gentlemen  with  him  impor- 
tuned that  he  respond  by  at  least  showing  himself  at  the 
window,  he  replied  "I  have  my  duty  to  do  and  cannot 
lose  time  to  acknowledge  this  compliment,  if  all  the 
bands  and  all  the  people  in  Washington  are  in  the 
street."2 

I  was  a  newsboy  and  my  route  covered  nearly  all  the 
hospitals  and  all  in  the  northwest  between  North  Capitol 
and  Seventh  Streets.  Douglas  Hospital  was  in  the  Min- 
nesota Row  on  I  street.  It  was  specially  a  surgeon's 
hospital.     I  forget  not  the  ghastly  sights. 

Preceding  Christmas  1862,  was  given  the  ''Military 
Hospital  Federal  Notice. — The  hospitals  which  have 
not  been  duly  notified,  can  obtain  their  ample  quota  of 
Christmas  provisions  intended  for  them  by  Mrs.  Lincoln, 
by  the  presentation  of  a  certificate  of  the  superintendent 
of  each  hospital  at  the  Executive  mansion  on  Tuesday 
and  Wednesday  mornings,  December  23rd  and  24th." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  visited  many  of  the  hospitals, 
"Mr.  Lincoln's  manner  was  full  of  the  geniality  and  kind- 


1  N.E.    corner    of    Pennsylvania    Ave.    and    Madison    Place.    Private 
Quarters.   1607  H   St.  W.  B.  Bryan,  A  History  of  the  National  Capital. 
'Friday  night,  August  30,  1861,  Daily  National  Republican. 


40  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

ness  of  his  nature.  Wherever  he  saw  a  soldier  who 
looked  sad  and  'down-hearted,'  he  would  take  him  by  the 
hand  and  speak  words  of  encouragement  and  hope.  The 
poor  fellows'  faces  would  lighten  up  with  pleasure  when 
he  addressed  them,  and  he  scattered  blessings  and 
improved  cheerfulness  wherever  he  went." 

Douglas  Hospital 

To  give  dates  and  other  dry  stuff  kills  interest;  not- 
withstanding I  shall  give  the  statistics  of  Mrs.  Lincoln's 
donations  to  this  hospital:  "9  turkeys,  20  chickens,  1 
bushel  of  green  apples,  15  pounds  of  butter,  and  one 
peck  of  cranberries." 

Judiciary  Square  Hospital 

The  President  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  appeared  in  the 
dining  hall  at  half  past  three.  They  shook  hands  with 
the  well  and  he  "walked  around  the  tables,  and  had  a 
pleasant  word  for  each  of  the  patients." 

Thirteenth  Street  Baptist  Church  Hospital 

The  dinner  was  furnished  by  Mrs.  Lincoln  and  Mrs. 
Smith,  the  wife  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior.  In  the 
account  is  "It  is  unnecessary  for  us  to  say  more  as 
regards  the  dinner,  knowing,  as  every  citizen  of  Washing- 
ton does,  the  abundance  of  fine  poultry,  and  rich  delica- 
cies which  have  been  for  many  months  dispensed  by  these 
distinguished  ladies  to  our  sick  and  wounded  heroes."1 

The  distribution  of  premiums  for  the  First  District  of 
the  Public  Schools  was  at  the  Smithsonian,  July  24,  1862. 
While  the  exercises  were  in  progress  the  President  of  the 
United  States  entered  accompanied  by  Nathan  Sargent. 


1  Daily  Chronicle,  December,  1862. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  41 

As  soon  as  the  President  was  fairly  on  the  platform  was 
greeting  loud  and  long.  A  boy  proposed  "Three  cheers 
for  Abraham  Lincoln."    The  arches  were  almost  jarred. 

The  Mayor,  Richard  Wallach,  gracefully  requested 
the  President  to  continue  the  presentation.  The  medal 
scholar  next  in  order  was  Joseph  H.  Plant.  The  Presi- 
dent stepped  forward,  asked  the  boy  his  name,  congrat- 
ulated him  and  placed  the  prize  upon  him  as  the  audience 
applauded.  He  repeated  with  each  recipient.  He  let 
the  Mayor  do  the  honors  for  the  girls.  He  did  not 
hurry  away  and  he  heard,  in  repay,  sung  "Carrie  Lee." 

The  day  before  the  appearance  of  the  emancipation 
proclamation  Zenas  C.  Robbins  and  the  Rev.  Byron 
Sunderland  visited  the  President  with  the  purpose  of 
strengthening  him  that  he  might  not  waver.  Mr.  Robbins 
was  an  early  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Lincoln.  It  was  he, 
as  the  patent  attorney,  secured  for  Mr.  Lincoln  the 
patent  for  a  boat  that  might  pass  shallow  waters. 

Said  Dr.  Sunderland.  "We  are  full  of  faith  and  prayer 
that  you  will  make  clean  sweep  for  the  Right." 

"Mr.  Lincoln's  face  resolved  into  its  half  shrewd, 
half  sad  expression.  He  took  a  chair,  and  leaning  toward 
the  clergyman  said: 

"Doctor,  it's  very  hard  sometimes  to  know  what  is 
right!  You  pray  often  and  honestly,  but  so  do  those 
across  the  lines.  They  pray  and  all  their  preachers  pray 
honestly.  You  and  I  don't  think  them  justified  in  praying 
for  their  objects,  but  they  pray  earnestly,  no  doubt !  If  you 
and  I  had  our  own  way,  Doctor,  we  will  settle  this  war 
without  bloodshed,  but  Providence  permits  blood  to  be 
shed.  It's  hard  to  tell  what  Providence  wants  of  us. 
Sometimes,  we,  ourselves,  are  more  humane  than  the 
Divine  Mercy  seems  to  us  to  be."1 

The  procession  of  the  Sons  of  Temperance  on  the 
Twenty-first  Anniversary  halted  at  the  Executive  Man- 


1  Geo.  Alfred  Townsend.  Washington  Outside  and  Inside. 


42  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

sion.  In  the  newspapers  of  the  present  by  communica- 
tions is  a  controversy  whether  Mr.  Lincoln  favored  pro- 
hibition or  did  not;  and  in  support  of  the  affirmative 
is  a  large  published  volume.  From  the  impromptu 
remarks  of  Mr.  Lincoln  the  disputants  may  arrive  at  his 
attitude,  however,  it  will  require  violent  exercise  of  their 
mentality. 

"As  a  matter  of  course,  it  will  not  be  possible  for  me 
to  make  a  response  co-extensive  with  the  address  which 
you  have  presented  to  me.  If  I  were  better  known  than 
I  am,  you  would  not  need  to  be  told  that  in  the  advocacy 
of  the  cause  of  temperance  you  have  a  friend  and  sym- 
pathizer in  me.  (Applause)  When  I  was  a  young  man, 
long  ago,  before  the  Sons  of  Temperance,  as  an  organiza- 
tion, had  an  existence,  I,  in  a  humble  way,  made  temper- 
ance speeches,  (Applause)  and  I  think  may  say  that  to 
this  day,  I  have  never,  by  my  example,  belied  what  I  then 
said.     (Loud  Applause) 

"In  regard  to  the  suggestion  which  you  make  for  the 
purpose  of  the  advancement  of  the  cause  of  temperance 
in  the  army,  I  cannot  make  particular  responses  to  them 
at  this  time.  To  prevent  intemperance  in  the  army  is 
even  a  part  of  the  Articles  of  War.  It  is  a  part  of  the 
law  of  the  land — and  was  so,  I  presume  long  ago — to 
dismiss  officers  for  drunkenness.  I  am  not  sure  that, 
consistently  with  public  service,  more  can  be  done  than 
has  been  done.  All,  therefore,  that  I  can  promise  you  is, 
(if  you  will  be  pleased  to  furnish  me  with  a  copy  of  your 
address,)  to  have  it  considered  whether  it  contains  any 
suggestions  which  will  improve  the  cause  of  temperance 
and  repress  the  cause  of  drunkenness  in  the  army  any 
better  than  it  is  already  done.  I  can  promise  no  more 
than  that. 

"I  think  that  the  reasonable  men  of  the  world  have 
long  since  agreed  that  intemperance  is  one  of  the  great- 
est, if  not  the  very  greatest  of  all  evils,  amongst  mankind. 
That  is  not  a  matter  of  dispute,  I  believe.  That  the 
disease  exists,  and  that  it  is  a  very  great  one,  is  agreed 
upon  by  all. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital         43 

"The  mode  of  cure  is  one  about  which  there  may  be 
differences  of  opinion.  You  have  suggested  that  in  an 
army — our  army — drunkenness  is  a  great  evil,  and  one 
which,  while  it  exists  to  a  very  great  extent,  we  cannot 
expect  to  overcome  so  entirely  as  to  leave  such  successes 
in  our  aims  as  we  might  have  without  it.  This,  undoubt- 
edly, is  true,  and  while  it  is,  perhaps,  rather  a  bad  source 
to  derive  comfort  from,  nevertheless,  in  a  hard  struggle, 
I  do  not  know  but  what  it  is  some  consolation  to  be  aware 
that  there  is  some  intemperance  on  the  other  side,  too. 
(Laughter  and  Applause) 

"And  that  they  have  no  right  to  beat  us  in  a  physical 
combat  on  that  ground.  (Applause)  But  I  have  already 
said  more  than  I  expected  to  be  able  to  say  when  I  began, 
and  if  you  please  to  hand  me  a  copy  of  your  address  it 
shall  be  considered.  I  thank  you  very  heartily,  gentle- 
men, for  this  call,  and  for  bringing  with  you  these  very 
many  pretty  ladies." 

As  a  conclusion  to  the  temperance  affair,  to  the  grati- 
fication of  the  President,  E.  W.  Dunbar,  the  author  of 
the  music,  sang  the  poem,  published  anonymously,  written 
by  James  Sloane  Gibbons. 

"three  hundred  thousand  more" 

"We    are    coming,    Father    Abraham,    three    hundred 
thousand  more, 
From  Mississippi's    winding  stream  and  from  New 
England's  shore 
We  leave  our  ploughs  and  workshops,   our  wives  and 
children  dear, 
With  hearts  too  full  for  utterance,  with  but  a  silent 
tear; 
We  dare  not  look  behind  us,  but  steadfastly  before, 

We   are   coming  Father  Abraham,   three  hundred 
thousand  more  I 

3|C  JfC  3)C  3JC 

"Six  hundred  thousand  loyal  men  and  true  have  gone 
before; 


44  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

We   are  coming,   Father  Abraham,  three  hundred 
thousand  more  !m 

In  the  Evening  Star,  October  26,  1863,  is  the  report 
of  the  President's  visit  to  the  U.  S.  Government  Printing 
Office. 

The  work  on  the  machines  was  suspended.  Miss  Ella 
Lashhorn  advanced  with  two  handsome  bouquets.  She 
presented  them  with  the  sentiments: 

"Mr.  President:  Permit  me,  on  behalf  of  my  associ- 
ates, to  present  to  you  these  flowers. 

"May  the  blessings  of  heaven  attend  you,  sir,  and 
richly  reward  your  efforts  for  the  restoration  of  unity 
and  peace  in  our  beloved  land." 

The  President  accepted  the  flowers;  expressed  his 
thanks,  and  wished  the  fair  donor  might  get  a  good  hus- 
band. 

Charles  S.  Lashhorn,  a  plate  printer,  informs  me  that 
Miss  Ella  Lashhorn  was  his  aunt.  She  married  Brook 
Edmonston.  A  daughter,  Algenia  Spanier,  Turtle  Creek, 
Pa.,  and  a  son  survive.  It  can  be  added  from  good 
report  that  the  fair  donor  did  get  a  good  husband. 

William  H.  Tisdale  was  the  orderly  of  President 
Lincoln  from  September,  1862  to  October,  1864.  His 
reminiscences  appeared  in  the  Sunday  Star  of  recent  date. 
By  one  incident  is  proven  Mr.  Lincoln's  friendliness 
towards  the  Southern  people.  That  his  support  of  the 
war  was  for  the  furtherance  of  principle  and  that  alone. 
Mr.  Lincoln  joined  his  children  on  the  south  grounds  of 
the  White  House.  He  took  a  garden  seat  to  watch  them. 
He  watched  with  a  pleasant  expression.  As  a  regiment 
passed  its  band  struck  up  "We'll  hang  Jeff  Davis  on  a 
Sour  Apple  Tree!"  Mr.  Lincoln's  head  dropped  into 
his  hands.    The  orderly  thought  him  stricken  with  illness. 


1  The  Evening  Star,  September,  25,  1863. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital         45 

He  was  plunged  in  grief.  He  arose  and  with  emotion 
said: 

"It's  wrong  to  play  such  things.  We  must  win  this 
war,  but  we  want  to  be  their  friends,  and  we  want  the 
south  to  be  our  friend." 

The  files  have  not  been  consulted  to  get  the  exact 
phrasing  in  the  customary  stilted  style  of  diplomatic 
correspondence  on  the  part  of  the  King  of  Siam  offering 
to  present  the  President  of  the  United  States  with  a  few 
brood  elephants  and  on  the  part  of  the  President  respect- 
fully declining — for  the  reason  unexpressed  in  the  cor- 
respondence but  expressed  in  the  newspaper — "having 
a  very  large  elephant,  on  hand  just  now,  which  occupies 
all  his  attention,  and  which  the  assembled  wisdom  of  the 
nation  don't  know  what  to  do  with!"1 

The  President  by  message  to  Congress,  February  26, 
1862,  transmitted  the  copy  of  two  letters,  dated  February 
14,  1861,  from  his  Majesty  the  Major  King  of  Siam 
and  the  President's  reply  thereto  with  the  request  that 
be  considered,  a  proper  place  of  deposit  of  the  gifts 
received  with  the  royal  letters  referred  to.  The  message 
went  to  the  Senate  Foreign  Relations  Committee. 

It  must  be  accepted  that  the  Federals  and  Confed- 
erates were  equally  sanguine  in  the  justice  of  their 
respective  causes.  The  humane  Lincoln  in  his  second 
inaugural  address  touches  sympathetically  on  this.  "Both 
read  the  same  Bible  and  pray  to  the  same  God,  and  each 
invokes  His  aid  against  the  other."  Consistent  and 
natural  is  the  letter  of  a  Confederate  soldier  to  a  Con- 
federate newspaper:  'Our  minister  nearly  got  himself 
into  a  scrape  the  other  day,  and  whether  he  is  'a  bit  of  a 
wag,'  or  a  very  careless  fellow,  or  'an  Abolition  traitor' 
is  now  the  subject  of  discussion  with  us.     At  the  meet- 


1  Daily  National  Republican,  February  28,  1862. 


46  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

ing  on  Fast  Day  he  gave  out  Dr.  Watts'  hymn,  com- 
mencing: 

'And  are  we  wretches  yet  alive, 

And  do  we  yet  rebel, 
'Tis  wondrous,  'tis  amazing  grace 

That  we  are  out  of  hell.'  "  ' 

Howell  Cobb  with  Mr.  Lincoln  were  members  of  the 
same  Congress.  Mr.  Cobb,  the  spokesman  for  the 
Southern  delegation,  with  Mr.  Lincoln,  the  new  light 
from  the  West,  were  diametrically  opposed  on  slavery. 
Mr.  Cobb  distinguished  himself  as  a  Statesman,  Gen. 
Cobb,  the  sketch  writer  says,  did  not  distinguish  himself 
in  the  field;  which  I  take  to  signify,  he  relied  on  others' 
bravery.  Mr.  Lincoln  surely  smiled  at  the  reportorial 
comment  on  Gen.  Cobb's  exhortation: 

Howell  Cobb  at  Macon,  Ga: 

"There  is  but  one  enemy  that  I  fear,  and  that  is  a  lurk- 
ing in  the  hearts  of  some  men  not  to  do  their  duty. 
The  farther  removed  from  danger  the  more  timid  some 
men  become.  Go  to  our  army  and  you  see  no  timidity 
there.  The  sight  of  ten  thousand  banners  causes  no 
alarm  but  rather  excites  courage.  But  go  back  into  the 
interior,  and  you  see  men  who  are  guarding  their  prop- 
erty and  their  gold,  and  there  you  find  cowardice. 

"Should  all  other  means  fail  to  win  our  independence 
— should  the  men  refuse  to  fight  longer  our  battles — 
I  will,  as  a  last  resort,  assemble  the  women  of  our  land 
and  march  them  forth  for  duty  in  the  field." 
*  (Comment)  We  have  a  fancy  that  the  Southern  women, 
except  the  very  ugly  ones,  would  soon  be  vanquished  and 
yield  to  the  invincible  arms  of  our  Yankee  soldiers."  2 

In  running  through  the  newspapers  I  have  found 
instances  of  Samaritan  service,  really  affecting,  by  the 
enemies   on   the   field,    but   friends    at   heart   when   off. 


1  Daily  Chronicle,  October  20,  1863. 

2  Weekly  National  Republican,  March  4,  1864. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital         47 

When  the  armies  rested  on  their  arms  not  infrequently 
was  fraternizing.  A  Confederate  soldier,  (John  F. 
Donohoe)1  before  Fredericksburg  told  me  of  exchanges 
of  tobacco  for  hardtack  with  the  Unions.  Bermuda 
Hundred  is  a  short  distance  south  of  Richmond  and  on 
or  near  the  James  River. 

"On  Picket  Near  Bermuda  Hundred 
July  14,  1864. 
"Well  Brother  Yank  I  suppose  you  have  had  your 
Whiskey  this  morning.  We  Rebs  can't  get  any  our 
officers  drink  all,  here  is  two  plugs  of  Tobacco  I  hope 
some  Gentlemen  among  you  will  be  so  kind  as  to  throw 
over  as  an  exchange  for  them  two  Pocket  knives  small 
ones  worth  as  you  may  think,  this  Tobacco  will  sell  for 
$150c  in  our  camp.  You  have  the  Tobacco  you  can  do 
as  you  wish  to  be  done  by  which  will  satisfy  me  as  one 
who  wishes  you  all  well  and  hope  we  will  meet  the  next 
time  under  more  favorable  Circumstances. 

"Yours  very  respectfully 
"Reb  to  Friend  Yank, 
"Wishing  we  may  have  a  speedy  peace. 
"Direct  to  Reb  57  Va.  Infantry/' 

During  Mr.  Lincoln's  administration  and  previous 
administrations  Edward  McManus  was  the  doorkeeper 
of  the  Executive  Mansion.  He  was  a  small  sized  man 
always  seen  in  a  black  suit.  He  wore  a  cheering  smile 
and  had  a  pleasant  word  for  all  who  appeared  at  the 
portal.  He  was  a  shrewd  Irishman  with  a  remarkable 
memory  and  insight  into  character  and  could  "tell  from 
a  look  the  business  and  hopes  of  almost  all  callers."  He 
was  the  President's  buffer.  He  had  the  key  to  the 
President's  audience  and  yet  he  turned  it  sometimes 
when  he  should  not.8 


1  Of  the  City  of  Washington,  D.  C. 

*  From    a   series   of   like    letters    in   the    Weekly  National   Republican, 

August  3,  1864. 
3  Daily   Morning   Chronicle,   November   15,   1862. 


48  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

Office-seekers  were  the  President's  abhorrence.  They 
could  not  but  irritate  him  when  his  attention  was  due  to 
urgent  affairs  and  his  soul  was  wrought  up  with  anxiety. 
To  avert  a  refusal  of  an  office  seeker,  Mr.  Lincoln 
resorted  to  stalling  by  story  telling  until  an  interruption 
should  terminate  the  interview.  Mr.  Lincoln  began; 
"Do  you  know  I  heard  a  good  thing  yesterday  about  the 
difference  between  an  Amsterdam  Dutchman  and  any 
other  'dam'  Dutchman."  And  he  continued  until  Sec- 
retary Seward  came  and  insisted  a  private  conference 
was    imperative.      Mr.    Lincoln    to    the    Office    Seeker 

inquired  "Mr can  you  call  again?"  And  Mr.  Office 

Seeker  on  the  outside  exclaimed  "Bother  his  impudence, 
I  say,  to  keep  me  listening  to  his  jokes  for  two  hours,  and 
then  ask  me  to  call  again!"1 

National  Republican,  September  9,  1861: 

"Private  Wm.  Scott,  of  company  K,  third  volunteers, 
found  guilty  of  sleeping  on  his  post,  has  been  sentenced 
to    be    shot.      Gen.    McClellan    having    confirmed    the 
sentence,  its  execution  will  take  place  to-day. 
P.S.— 

Reported — At  a  late  hour  last  night,  we  were  informed 
by  Major  Ridenour,  that  he  had  just  presented  a  peti- 
tion to  the  President,  numerously  signed,  praying  for 
the  pardon  of  the  unfortunate  young  soldier  above 
mentioned,  and  that  the  President  informed  him  the 
execution  would  not  take  place  to-day." 

The  National  Republican,  editorially,  in  a  smooth 
way,  censured  the  President,  September  10,  1861. 

"The  pardon  of  President  Lincoln,  of  the  young 
soldier,  who  was  to  have  been  slain  today,  for  sleeping 
upon  his  post,  while  performing  the   duty  of  sentinel 


^en:  Perley  Poore's  Reminiscences. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  49 

is  received  with  great  favor  by  the  citizens  and  soldiers. 
We  are  opposed  to  capital  punishment,  but  if  there  is 
any  offense  for  which  a  man  should  be  put  to  death,  we 
think  young  Scott  committed  it.  A  sentinel  is  placed 
upon  his  post  to  watch  the  enemy,  and  to  sound  the 
alarm  upon  the  slightest  approach  of  danger — he  guards 
the  sleeping  hosts  from  all  harm,  and  his  vigilance  may 
save  a  whole  army,  and  the  cause  he  serves,  from 
destruction.  Scott  slept  upon  his  post  almost  in  view 
of  the  enemy,  but  as  they  happened  to  be  unconscious  of 
his  want  of  fidelity,  no  disaster  followed  except  to  him- 
self. This  is  the  first  offense  of  the  kind,  since  the 
beginning  of  the  rebellion  and  the  President  has  very 
properly  saved  the  life  of  the  offender,  but  we  hope  he 
will  save  no  more.  The  sentinel  who,  hereafter,  sleeps 
upon  his  post,  will  have  no  excuse — he  will  deserve  death, 
and  we  hope  he  will  get  his  deserts." 

"Sweet   mercy  is   nobility's   true   badge." 

Shakespeare. 

The  reprieve  by  the  President  was  an  act  of  mercy, 
well  advised.  It  did  not  result  in  dereliction  of  duty  by 
others.  If  of  any  influence  at  all  it  was  to  create  greater 
loyalty  in  recognition  of  so  merciful  a  ruler.  The  kind- 
ness was  not  misplaced.  The  sentinel  farther  on  in  other 
military  service  proved  his  worth  and  paid  the  highest 
price  of  heroism.  The  episode  is  historic.  It  has  been 
made  a  scene  of  pathetic  thrill  in  the  picture  drama. 

Mr.  Lincoln  had  not  long  been  the  Nation's  Executive 
when  he  cooperated  with  the  officers,  legislature,  court 
and  citizens  of  the  Nation's  City  in  a  commission  of 
clemency.  John  H.  Murphy  had  been  sentenced  to 
imprisonment  for  manslaughter.  The  unconditional 
pardon  was  upon  the  recommendation  of  the  jurors  who 
convicted  and  the  earnest  solicitation  of  eighteen 
members  of  the  City  Councils,  the  Collector  and  the 
Register  and  one  thousand  citizens.1 


1  National  Republican,   October   1    and  2,    1861. 


50  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

The  whimiscal  would  trespass  on  the  serious  with  Mr. 
Lincoln.  An  Irishman,  popular  with  his  regiment,  who 
had  misbehaved  grievously,  was  sentenced  accordingly. 
A  petition  for  clemency  was  forwarded  to  the  President. 
Action  thereon  was  delayed  by  routine  and  the  minute 
for  the  execution  was  about  come  when  the  messenger 
rushed  in  with   the   telegram: 

Washington, ,186.  . 

"Colonel  Mulligan — If  you  haven't  shot  Barney  D.  . 
yet — don't. 

"A.  Lincoln." 
That  in  pleasantry  can  be  deep  seriousness  was  not 
fairly  comprehended,  at  least,  by  one  Quakeress.     Two 
Quakeresses  were  discussing  the  result  of  the  war  and 
with  this  dialogue. 

First:  "I  think  that  Jefferson  will  succeed." 
Second  "Why  does  thee  think  so?" 
First:  "Because  Jefferson  is  a  praying  man." 
Second:  "And  so  is  Abraham  a  praying  man." 
First:  "Yes;  but  the  Lord  will  think  he  is  joking." 

The  Rev.  Henry  Fowler  of  Auburn,  N.  Y.  minutely 
dissected  Mr.  Lincoln's  traits  and  talents.  Two  items 
of  this  dissection  are:  "His  grammar  is  self  taught  and 
partly  forgotten,  his  style  miscellaneous."  For  myself 
I  am  very  proud  to  be  like  the  great  Lincoln  in  any 
particular.  I  am  told  my  grammar  is  weird  and  soli- 
citous friends  have  from  kindness  of  heart  volunteered 
to  correct  it  and  do  it  so  thoroughly  I  cannot  recog- 
nize my  own  composition.  And  I  do  not  have  to  be  told 
if  I  have  any  style  at  all  it  is  mixed,  that  is,  "miscella- 


neous".1 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Fowler  was  not  the  first  to  detect  Mr. 
Lincoln's  faulty  grammar.  Ex-President  Tyler  to  Doctor 


1  Daily  Chronicle,  December  23,  1863. 


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/J^C    £-w       CX^  fal^p^   /tei*-^*}       A^e/'  &4Z^/  yT^rST    <-MLe^^-«SaJ23 


/2-i~*&<s 


Gettysburg  Address 


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Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  5 1 

Francis  Lieber  complained  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  grammar 
in  the  first  inaugural  address.  The  Doctor  replied  to  the 
ex-President  to  the  purport  that  secession  is  the  issue  and 
not  grammar.1 

The  Gettysburg  address  was  delivered  November  19, 
1863.  It  was  polished  into  perfection.  In  the  Manu- 
script Division  of  the  Library  of  Congress  are  two  drafts 
and  the  completed.  It  is  thought  that  an  original  draft 
is  missing.  The  oration  of  Mr.  Everett  was  followed 
by  a  rendition  of  the  Baltimore  Union  Glee  Club.  Then 
a  poem  "inspired  and  written  upon  the  battle  field"  by 
Benjamin  B.  French. 

Second  Verse 

"Here  let  them  rest — 
And  summer's  heat  and  winter's  cold 
Shall  glow  and  freeze  above  this  mould — 
A  thousand  years  shall  pass  away — 
A  Nation  still  shall  mourn  this  clay." 

Marshal  Lamon  introduced  the  President.  His  address 
with  indication  how  it  was  received: 

"Four  score  and  seven  years  ago  our  fathers  brought 
forth,  upon  this  continent  a  new  nation,  conceived  in 
liberty  and  dedicated  to  the  proposition  that  all  men  are 
created  equal.  (Applause).  Now,  we  are  engaged  in  a 
great  civil  war,  testing  whether  that  nation,  or  any  other 
nation  so  conceived  and  so  dedicated,  can  long  endure. 
We  are  met  on  a  great  battle-field  of  that  war;  we  are 
met  to  dedicate  a  portion  of  it  as  the  final  resting-place 
of  those  who  here  gave  their  lives  that  the  nation  might 
live.  It  is  altogether  fitting  and  proper  that  we  should 
do  this.  But,  in  a  larger  sense,  we  cannot  dedicate,  we 
cannot  consecrate,  we  cannot  hallow  this  ground.  The 
brave  men,  living  and  dead,  who  struggled  here  have 
consecrated  it  far  above  our  poor  power  to  add  or 
detract.     (Applause)  The  world  will  little  note  nor  long 

1Tarbell's  Life  of  Lincoln. 


52  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

remember  what  we  say  here;  but  it  can  never  forget  what 
they  did  here.   (Applause) 

"It  is  for  us,  the  living  rather  to  be  dedicated  here 
to  the  unfinished  work  that  they  have  thus  far  so  nobly 
carried  on.  (Applause)  It  is  rather  for  us  here  to  be 
dedicated  to  the  great  task  remaining  before  us;  that 
from  these  honored  dead  we  take  increased  devotion  to 
that  cause  for  which  they  here  gave  the  last  full  measure 
of  devotion;  that  we  here  highly  resolve  that  those  dead 
shall  not  have  died  in  vain.  (Applause)  That  the  nation 
shall,  under  God,  have  a  new  birth  of  freedom;  and  that 
Government  of  the  people,  by  the  people,  and  for  the 
people,  shall  not  perish  from  the  earth.  (Long  con- 
tinued applause)" 

The  address  here  reported  is  that  taken  stenograph- 
ically  by  Ben :  Perley  Poore.  It  was  spoken  from  memory. 

Ward  H.  Lamon  in  his  reminiscences  says  that  the 
address  fell  flat  and  that  there  was  no  voiced  approval; 
there  was  no  "applause"  although  so  reported.  That 
Mr.  Everett,  Mr.  Seward  and  himself,  immediately  after 
the  delivery  of  the  address,  among  themselves,  agreed 
it  was  a  failure. 

However,  the  journals  throughout  the  States,  at  once, 
recognized  and  proclaimed  the  great  merit. 

I  quote  only  the  comment  of  the  Springfield  Repub- 
lican: "Surpassingly  fine  as  Mr.  Everett's  oration  was  in 
the  Gettysburg  consecration,  the  rhetorical  honors  of  the 
occasion  were  won  by  President  Lincoln.  His  little  speech 
is  a  perfect  gem;  deep  in  feeling,  compact  in  thought  and 
expression,  and  tasteful  and  elegant  in  word  and  comma. 
Then  it  has  the  merit  of  unexpectedness  in  its  verbal 
perfection  and  beauty. 

"We  had  grown  so  accustomed  to  homely  and 
imperfect  phrases  in  his  productions  that  we  had  come  to 
think  it  was  the  law  of  his  utterance.  But  this  shows 
he  can  talk  handsomely  as  well  as  act  sensibly.     Turn 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  53 

back  and  read  it  over;  it  will  repay  study  as  a  model 
speech.  Strong  feelings,  and  a  large  brain  were  its 
parents,  a  little  painstaking  its  accoucher." 

The  anonymous  author  of  Dobb's  Family  in  America 
describes  the  avenue  which  almost  daily  was  the  way 
taken  by  the  President — the  avenue  over  which  have 
passed  for  a  century  and  a  quarter  of  another  the  most 
triumphant  parade  and  the  most  sad  cortege.  The  work 
from  which  is  the  quotation  was  written  the  early  part 
of  the  year,  1863  and  by  a  correspondent  of  a  London 
journal. 

"Pennsylvania  Avenue  presents  an  unobstructed  view 
from  the  Treasury  building  to  the  elevated  site  from 
which  rises  the  imperial  Capitol,  with  its  lofty  proportions 
outlined  on  the  sky,  grand  and  imposing.  It  is  wider 
than  Broadway  of  New  York,  and  generally  full  of  life 
and  motion.  In  winter,  when  Congress  is  in  session,  it 
has  its  ebbs  and  flows  like  the  main  artery  of  Manhattan 
Island,  the  crowd  tending  downward  until  the  after  part 
of  the  day,  and  then  returning.  The  Avenue  begins  to 
wear  the  marks  of  metropolitan  life.  There  are  soap- 
venders  on  the  corners  with  patent  soaps  warranted  to 
remove  grease-spots  the  most  tenacious,  in  an  amazingly 
short  space  of  time.  The  man  with  the  artificial  bugs, 
attached  to  elastic  strings,  swinging  up  and  down  in  a 
fashion  altogether  inviting  to  the  juvenile  mind,  seems 
to  do  a  thriving  business.  The  candy-men  are  present 
in  goodly  numbers,  with  their  little  stands,  on  which  are 
displayed  huge  rocks  of  the  variegated  article,  from 
which  pieces  are  chipped  off  according  to  the  demand. 
The  Lazaroni  seem  to  find  themselves  as  much  at  home 
here  in  roasting  their  chestnuts,  as  if  the  operation  were 
going  on  under  an  Italian  sky.  The  men  with  the  tele- 
scopes at  so  much  a  sight,  and  the  proprietors  of  lung- 
testing  machines,  who  ask  you  if  you  'won't  take  a  blow 
to  see  wot  kind  of  a  chist  you've  got,'  have  evidently 
become  citizens  of  the  place.  The  cosmopolitan  organ- 
grinders  are  at  the  corners  and  up  the  bye-streets,  play- 


54  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

ing  the  old  plaintive  tunes  as  familiar  to  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Old  as  the  New  World,  peering  down  the  areas 
in  quest  of  the  bounties  of  Bridget,  a  looking  upward 
with  that  face  which  is  always  pensive,  to  the  windows 
for  the  pennies  which  the  little  folk  are  wont  to  bestow. 
Prematurely  sharp  news-boys  and  boot-blacks  are  seen, 
and  heard  too,  all  along  the  Avenue,  and  it  is  worthy 
of  remark  that,  although  the  majority  of  the  boot-blacks 
are  coloured  boys,  the  white  boys  monopolize  the  sell- 
ing of  newspapers.  Mounted  guards  are  stationed  at 
the  street  corners,  who  sit  with  drawn  swords,  motion- 
less until  some  luckless  wight  attempts  to  ride  faster 
than  the  regulation  admits,  when  they  make  a  Balaclava 
charge  after  the  offender,  and  bring  him  up  in  a  trice. 
Cars  well  filled  with  passengers  pass  at  intervals  of  two  or 
three  minutes  over  the  double  track  which  extends  from 
the  Navy  Yard  to  Georgetown,  a  distance  of  about  six 
miles.  *  *  *  The  grand  thoroughfare  is  well  filled 
with  vehicles  of  various  kinds — government  wagons, 
ambulances,  private  carriages  with  liveried  coachmen  and 
lackeys,  but  in  greatest  number  hacks,  driven  chiefly  by 
coloured  men.  The  hack  is  in  much  request  apparently, 
and  a  popular  means  of  locomotion.  The  commerce  and 
promenading  seem  to  be  confined  pretty  much  to  one  side 
of  the  Avenue,  the  right  in  ascending,  leaving  the  other 
side  almost  deserted.  The  buildings  on  the  right  are 
higher  and  more  pretentious  than  on  the  left,  where  they 
are  irregular  in  height  and  insignificant  in  appearance. 
There  is  the  dark  and  bright  side — sunshine,  bustle,  and 
pretty  shops  on  the  one,  and  shadow,  dulness,  and  dingi- 
ness  on  the  other.  In  the  gala  days  of  fine  weather,  the 
promenades  are  very  numerous,  considering  the  size  of 
the  city,  and  of  every  complexion,  from  the  fairest  blond 
to  the  sootiest  black — a  panorama  of  nationalities,  where 
various  countries  have  their  representatives — blue-eyed, 
light-haired  Saxons,  swarthy,  dreamy-eyed  Creoles,  vi- 
vacious, fine-featured  sons  of  France  and  Italy;  olive- 
tinted  quadroons,  and  every  shade  of  mulatto,  ebony-black 
'Contrabands',  an  occasional  John  Chinaman,  and  here 
and  there  a  'lone'  Indian,  who  is  making  the  customary 
visit  to  the  capitol  to  persuade  the  Great  Father  not  to 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  55 

move  him  any  farther  back.  The  elegant  costumes  of 
fashionably  attired  ladies,  the  military  uniforms  of 
officers  of  the  army,  the  showy  gold-laced  habits  of  the 
men  of  the  sea,  the  fantastic  rig  of  the  Zouaves,  and 
the  general  diversity  of  dress,  imparts  to  the  throng  a 
mixture  of  extravagance  and  gaiety."1 

The  Appian  Way  of  the  Eternal  City  has  for  the 
American  Capital  its  counterpart  in  the  Pennsylvania 
Avenue.  The  Appian  Way  had  its  glory  in  architectural 
wonders  which  bordered  it;  the  Pennsylvania  Avenue  its 
glory  not  on  its  borders  but  in  its  centre — the  grand 
parades  of  civilians  and  soldiers. 

The  observations  of  a  European  journalist  has  been 
given;  now  is  given  that  of  an  American  journalist. 

Benjamin  F.  Taylor,  in  Special  Correspondence  of  the 
Chicago  Evening  Journal, 

"Washington,  June  16,  1864. 
"Taking  a  street  car  you  tinkle  your  way  up  from 
the  depot  and  coast  around  the  grounds  of  the  Capitol, 
now  rich  with  the  leaves  of  June,  and  sweet  with  the 
breath  of  flowers  and  the  song  of  birds;  and  unless  the 
iron  gates  set  hospitably  wide  shall  tempt  you  in,  you 
curve  away  into  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  the  grand  artery 
of  Washington. 

3J5  5JC  3fC  2f£  5(5  2f£  5jC 

"The  Avenue  is  a  museum  without  a  Barnum,  every 
calling  has  its  representative  man.  Pantaloons  kick  as 
you  pass;  hand-organs  dolefully  grind  the  day  out;  you 
can  buy  a  satin  slipper  one  minute,  and  a  load  of  hay 
the  next.  Coffins  stand  up  on  end,  empty  and  hungry, 
and  petition  you  to  get  in  and  be  composed;  a  trans- 
parency suggests  that  you  be  embalmed;  a  lantern 
persuades  you  to  go  to  the  'Varieties'.  At  the  heels 
of  a  Secretary  of  a  Department  goes  a  shriveled  itiner- 
ant with  his  loon-cry  of  'um-ber-ellas  to  mend!'  and 
little  inky  boot-blacks  swarm  at  the  crossings,  and  make 


'The  Dobbs  Family  in  America. 


56  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

a  dive  at  your  feet  as  you  pass.  Here  a  building 
delights  in  a  classic  portico;  there  a  market-house  with 
the  architecture  of  an  old  rope-walk  and  a  brood  of 
rickety  sheds  in  tow,  is  sneaking  obliquely  off  the 
Avenue,  as  if  to  get  out  of  sight. 

"The  sidewalks  are  edged  with  second-hand  furniture; 
ice-cream  vendors  are  camped  beneath  the  trees;  index 
fingers  point  out  the  whereabouts  of  the  aspiring  washer- 
woman and  the  perspiring  cook;  among  pyramids  of 
pine-apples,  oranges,  tomatoes  through  tangles  of  all 
colored  humanity,  from  Congo  to  Christendom,  meeting 
now  the  Beauty  and  now  the  Beast,  you  make  your  way. 
Oregon  elbows  Maine,  and  Great  Britain  and  Brazil 
walk  down  the  shady  side  in  company. 

"Such  is  a  sketch  at  a  gallop,  of  a  scene  or  two  on 
Pennsylvania  avenue — a  thoroughfare  where  at  almost 
every  step,  Yesterday  seems  looking  over  the  shoulder 
of  Today,  and  Tomorrow  peers  smilingly  between."1 

When  Mr.  Lincoln  came  to  Washington  to  be  Presi- 
dent no  street  car  ran  and  the  dome  of  the  Capitol  was 
just  begun.  Early  in  his  administration  was  a  conti- 
nental telegraph. 

"Mayor's  Office, 
Washington,  Oct.  26,  1861. 
"Hon.  H.  T.  Teschmuer,  Mayor  of  San  Francisco, 

California : 
"Washington  receives  with  pleasure  the  gratulations 
of  San  Francisco  and  rejoices  in  the  success  of  the  enter- 
prise connecting  the  Western  and  Eastern  almost  as 
much  as  she  deprecates  the  attempt  to  sever  the  South- 
ern portion  of  the  Union. 

"Richard  Wallach. 
"Mayor  of  Washington." 

At  Cabin  John's  Bridge,  December  5,  1863,  the 
introduction    of    Potomac    water    was    effected.      Hon. 


See  also  Walt  Whitman.  Washington  Street  Scenes.  Walking  Down 
Pennsylvania  Avenue.     April  7,  1864. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  57 

John  P.  Usher,  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  and  Mr. 
Wallach,  the  mayor,  made  addresses. 

In  July,  1862,  the  Washington  and  Georgetown 
Railroad  had  its  line  from  the  Capitol  to  Georgetown 
in  running  order  to  be  soon  crossed  by  the  Seventh 
Street  line  from  northern  boundary  to  river. 

The  ceremony  of  crowning  the  Capitol  with  Craw- 
ford's colossal  Statue  of  Freedom  was  on  the  noon  of 
December  2,  1863. 

The  National  Republican,  January  20,  1864,  reviews 
the  improvements: 

"The  General  Post  Office  has  been  finished;  also  the 
Patent  Office,  the  Water  Works  have  been  completed; 
the  extension  of  the  wings  of  the  Capitol  have  been  con- 
tinued and  are  fast  approaching  completion,  at  last, 
and  the  great  Dome  has  risen  gradually  developing  its 
magnificent  proportions  to  a  watchful  and  admiring 
people,  until  adorned  by  the  beautifully  designed  Tholus, 
where  the  whole  is  surmounted  by  the  colossal  'Statue 
of  Freedom',  which  stands  with  its  back  to  the  rebellion 
and  its  face  towards  the  loyal  States,  secured  in  its 
bright  bronzed  armor  and  lifting  its  flashing  helmet  to 
the  sunlight!  This  gigantic  and  most  difficult  work  of 
art  (the  dome)  is  completed — completed  in  the  midst 
of  the  darkest  hour  of  the  nation's  life.  In  order  to 
accomplish  the  immense  amount  of  difficult  work  so 
briefly  alluded  to,  thousands  of  laborers  have  been 
constantly  employed." 

Having  quoted  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  from  his  jour- 
nal, the  entry  of  his  visit  to  Washington  early  in  1862  and 
complimentary  to  Mr.  Lincoln  it  is  only  square  to  quote 
the  entry  made  the  next  year  which  offsets  the  compli- 
ment. Mr.  Emerson  likens  Mr.  Lincoln  to  a  "clown" 
— may  be  because  of  coarse  manners,  or  habitual  jesting 
or  circus  stunts  by  sticking  his  head  out  of  the  car 
windows  at  the  station.     That  the  famous  writer  does 


58  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

not  mean  "bad  manners"  there  for  he  has  that  charac- 
terization separate.  That  Mr.  Lincoln  was  not  strong 
on  dignity  and  hauteur  notwithstanding  he  was  the 
highest  in  station  in  all  the  land,  can  be  accepted;  the 
fact  that  he  was  simple  and  sympathetic  and  human  is 
the  capstone  of  his  lovable  character.  It  may  be  meant 
by  the  author  that  Mr.  Lincoln  was  awkward  and 
grotesque;  that  he  was  neither  the  reminiscence  of 
Orderly  Tisdale  to  be  given  proves.  Mr.  Lincoln  in 
early  life  and  all  along  is  mentioned  with  special 
reference  to  his  politeness — perhaps  courtesy  is  the 
word — outward  polish  with  inward  prompting. 

Emerson's  Journal,  1863. 

"You  cannot  refine  Mr.  Lincoln's  taste,  extend  his 
horizon,  or  clear  his  judgment;  he  will  not  walk  digni- 
fiedly  through  the  traditional  part  of  the  President  of 
America,  but  will  pop  out  his  head  at  each  railroad 
station  and  make  a  little  speech,  and  get  into  an  argu- 
ment with  Squire  A.  and  Judge  B.  He  will  write 
letters  to  Horace  Greeley,  and  any  editor  or  reporter 
or  saucy  party  committee  that  writes  to  him,  and  cheapen 
himself. 

"But  this  we  must  be  ready  for,  and  let  the  clown 
appear,  and  hug  ourselves  that  we  are  well  off,  if  we 
have  got  good  nature,  honest  meaning,  and  fidelity  to 
public  interest,  with  bad  manners, — instead  of  an  elegant 
roue  and  malignant  self-seeker." 

It  was  September  15,  1862  Orderly  Tisdale  was 
called  to  accompany  the  President  to  General  Henry 
W.  Halleck's  residence  on  High  Street  in  Georgetown. 
Mr.  Tisdale  says  the  messenger  shook  him  and  continues 
to  relate: 

"Please  open  yuh  eyes,  suh!  Please  wake  up!  The 
President  says  for  you  to  saddle  his  hawse  and  youah 
own,  and  report  at  once  by  the  big  front  dooh! 

"It  was  a  warm  September  night  and  he  had  on  the 


O     U 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  59 

Army  slouch  hat  he  often  wore,  although  he  has  so 
frequently  been  pictured  in  a  tall  hat  of  the  old-fash- 
ioned stovepipe  kind  that  nowadays  a  good  many  people 
think  he  invariably  wore  such  headgear. 

''Strangely  enough  also,  people  seem  to  think  he 
was  awkward,  ungainly,  even  clumsy.  But  he  was  not. 
And  that  night  he  swung  up  into  the  saddle  with  the 
ease  and  unconscious  grace  of  a  cavalryman. 

"For  a  few  moments  I  rode  on  behind  Mr.  Lincoln, 
as  was  proper;  gazing  at  his  tall  form  sitting  so  easily, 
so  erect,  and  wondering  whether  any  human  being — 
even  such  a  marvel  of  strength  as  he — could  continue 
indefinitely  to  carry  the  terrible  weight  that  was  laid 
upon  his  shoulders. 

"Here  he  was,  perfectly  calm  after  spending  hours 
studying  that  stream  of  dispatches  telling  of  the  battle 
of  Antietam.  Yet  so  critical  was  the  situation  that  he 
felt  it  necessary,  late  as  it  was,  to  hasten  for  a  consul- 
tation with  Halleck,  general  in  command  of  all  the 
armies  of  the  United  States." 

That  Mrs.  Lincoln  dressed  in  good  taste  and  Mr. 
Lincoln  was  no  discredit  to  any  fashionable  taste  appears 
in  the  account  of  the  President's  Levee.  The  author  of 
the  account  makes  one  of  his  party  speak  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  beautiful  France. 

"Pat  voulu  vous  dire  tout  simplement,  que  Madame 
Lincoln  s' 'est  hien  habillee,  selon  mon  gout,  malgre  ce 
que  disent  les  gobe-mouches.  Mais  le  mari  voila  un 
homme  endimanche.yn 

My  attempt  at  translation  into  English  is — I  would 
like  to  tell  plainly  that  Mrs.  Lincoln  was  well  dressed, 
according  to  my  taste,  in  spite  of  what  the  simpletons 
say.  But  the  husband — there  is  a  man  dressed  up  for 
Sunday. 

The  Confederates  appeared  on  the  northern  outskirts 


1  The  Dobbs  Family  in  America. 


60  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

of  the  city,  July  11,  1864.  The  encounter  was  more 
sanguinary  than  a  skirmish  as  the  markers  in  the  nearby 
National  Cemetery  solemnly  testify. 

In  a  newspaper  is  an  illustration,  with  the  title, 
"Lincoln  Under  Rebel  Fire",  that  has  impressed  the 
writer  not  in  a  serious  way.1  On  the  parapet  of  Fort 
Stevens  stands  the  President  unheeding  the  enemy's 
bursting  shells  and  the  efforts  of  a  soldier  who  with 
both  hands  is  tugging  at  his  coat-tails.  The  illustrator 
has  executed  on  paper  General  Wright's  polite  threat: 

"Mr.  President,  you  must  really  get  down  from  this 
exposed  position.  I  cannot  allow  you  to  remain  here 
longer,  and  if  you  refuse  I  shall  deem  it  my  duty  to 
have  you  removed  under  guard." 

The  President  obeyed  to  the  extent  of  taking  a  seat 
on  an  ammunition  box  from  which  he  was  constantly 
bobbing  up  to  see  what  was  going  on.2 

In  a  grove  near  the  headquarters  of  General  Early 
was  found  written  on  a  fly-leaf: 

"Near  Washington,  July  12,  1864. 
"Now  Uncle  Abe,  you  had  better  be  quiet  the  balance 
of  your  Administration,  as  we  only  came  near  your  town 
this  time  just  to  show  you  what  we  could  do;  but  if  you 
go  on  in  your  mad  career,  we  will  come  again  soon,  and 
then  you  had  better  stand  from  under. 

"Yours  respectfully,  the  worst  rebel  you  ever  saw. 

"58th  Virginia  Infantry." 

Mrs.  Lincoln  thought  the  Secretary  of  War  had  been 
lax  in  the  Capital's  protection.  After  the  affair,  a  few 
weeks,  and  tranquility  restored,  Secretary  Stanton 
visited  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  at  Soldier's  Home  and  to 
the  latter  said: 


1  The  Washington  Post.     October  7,  1902. 
1  Maj.   Gen.  Horace  G.  Wright. 


Toy  Shop 
1207  New  York  Avenue 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  61 

"Mrs.  Lincoln,  I  intend  to  have  a  full  length  portrait 
of  you  painted,  standing  on  the  ramparts  of  Fort 
Stevens  overlooking  the  fight." 

Mrs.  Lincoln,  quickly  added: 

"That  is  very  well  and  I  can  assure  you  of  one  thing, 
Mr.  Secretary,  if  I  had  had  a  few  ladies  with  me  the 
rebels  would  not  have  been  permitted  to  get  away  as 
they  did."1 

Joseph  Stuntz  was  the  proprietor  of  a  fancy  store 
and  toy  shop  on  New  York  avenue,  present  numbering, 
1207.  He  died  during  the  Civil  War,  and  his  widow, 
Appolonia,  succeeded  to  the  proprietorship.  Mrs. 
Stuntz  was  tall  and  proportionately  built.  Her  features 
were  strong;  and  her  expression  was  serious,  or  was 
when  the  writer  saw  her  at  the  tax  collector's  office. 
Mr.  Lincoln  came  to  the  modest  emporium  to  buy  toys 
for  his  son  "Tad"2 — tin  and  wooden  soldiers  in  bright 
colors  with  guns  and  the  soldiers'  captains  with  swords; 
and  cannon  and  everything  else  to  arrange  in  peaceful 
miniature  in  counterpart  to  the  terrible  things  of  savage 
war. 

A  soldier  company  of  lads  there  was,  the  enrollment 
of  which  was  forty  strong.  The  boys  were  equipped 
with  guns  or  imitation  guns,  and  other  imitation  of  mili- 
tary accountrements  or  habiliments,  or  whatever  the 
proper  word  may  be;  all  carried  guns,  except  the  Cap- 
tain; he  carried  a  sword.  The  soldier  company  marched 
before  the  White  House  and  were  reviewed  with  due 
solemnity  by  the  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  United 
States  armies.  Of  the  soldiers  was  "Tad",  the  Com- 
mander-in-Chief's son.  Master  John  Strider  was  the 
Captain   and  the  brother  of  the   Captain,   Luke,   was 


1  Francis  B.  Carpenter — The  Inner  Life  of  Abraham  Lincoln. 
a  Thomas  Thaddeus  Lincoln. 


62  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

privileged  to  march  with  the  others,  notwithstanding  he 
was  so  much  younger,  because  he  was  the  Captain's 
brother ! ' 

Mr.  Lincoln  sided  with  Tad  in  every  boyish  escapade. 
He  took  Tad  with  him  when  he  went  to  the  War 
Department  to  telegraph  an  important  message.  Tad 
wearied  with  waiting  diverted  himself  with  dipping  his 
fingers  in  the  inkwells  and  smearing  the  telegraphers' 
desk.  An  angered  telegrapher  picked  up  the  boy  and 
carried  him  to  the  Commander-in-Chief,  who,  was 
expected,  when  informed  of  the  offence,  to  inflict  the 
due  punishment.  Mr.  Lincoln  took  the  offender  in  his 
arms  and  said:  "I  don't  think  they  are  treating  you 
right  here,  Tad;  we  had  better  go  away."  And  with 
Tad  in  his  arms,  he  walked  away.2 

Mr.  Lincoln's  fondness  for  children,  his  appreciation 
of  their  ways,  joys  and  sorrows  and  how  to  adapt  him- 
self to  them  is  shown  in  the  reminiscence  of  Henry  J. 
Bradley,  a  newsboy  at  the  time  of  the  occurrence. 

"I  had  the  honor  of  knowing  President  Lincoln;  was 
a  playmate  of  Tad  Lincoln,  and  once  at  the  White 
House  sat  on  the  knee  of  the  great  war  President, 
while  Tad  sat  on  the  other,  and  listened  to  a  short 
yarn.  It  took  only  about  five  minutes  but  the  'gold  lace' 
had  to  wait  until  it  was  finished."  3 

From  "A  Lady's  First  Day  at  the  President's." 
"Let  us  go  up  the  steps  and  enter  the  open  doors. 
Here  is  a  mother  plainly  dressed,  leading  her  little  boy 
of  ten,  to  whom  she  is  telling  the  story  of  Abraham 
Lincoln's  youth.  In  the  vestibule  a  waiter  stands 
motioning  with  his  hand  the  way  for  visitors  to  go.  The 
mother  and  child  pass  on;  we  follow.  There  is  no 
crowd,  nobody  going  in  just  now  but  us.     Just  inside 

1  Reminiscence   of  Judge  Luke   C.   Strider.     Time,    early   in   Mr.   Lin- 

coln's administration. 

2  The  New  York  Times,  July  13,  1924. 

3  The  Evening  Star,  March  3,  1924. 


Mr.  Lincoln  and  "Tad" 
(Collection  of  L.  C.  Handy) 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  63 

the  door  of  the  blue  room  stands  the  President  between 
two  young  men,  and  a  plump,  round-faced,  smiling  man 
stands  opposite  him.  Between  these  the  mother  leads 
her  boy.  The  President  takes  her  hand  in  one  of  his, 
places  the  other  on  the  boy's  brown  curls,  says  some 
kindly  words  to  both,  and  then  passes  on. 

"The  same  hand  takes  mine,  the  eyes  look  down  as 
kindly;  he  bows  low  and  says,  "How  do  you  do?"  in 
a  tone  that  seems  to  demand  a  friendly  reply.  But  no 
reply  comes.  My  heart  is  on  my  lips,  but  there  is  no  shape 
or  sound  of  words.  In  one  glance  at  the  worn  yet  kindly 
face  I  read  a  history  that  crushes  all  power  of  speech 
and  before  I  am  fairly  conscious  that  I  have  touched  the 
hand  and  looked  into  the  eyes  of  our  honored  Father 
Abraham  find  myself  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  room."1 

That  was  in  February,  1864,  when  the  mother 
brought  her  boy  of  ten  with  brown  curls.  It  was  in 
March,  1865,  right  after  the  inauguration,  that  the 
mother  and  father  brought  their  son  of  seven  years,  a 
boy  with  flaxen  hair.  This  time  the  crowd  was  crush- 
ing. Nevertheless,  the  President  halted  the  line  suffi- 
ciently to  take  the  little,  timid  fellow's  hand  and  speak 
a  few  words.  I  cannot  have  any  doubt  that  the  flaxen 
locks  have  long  since  disappeared  to  be  replaced  by 
scattered  remnants  of  ancient  shade  and  I  am  equally 
without  doubt  that  the  recollection  of  the  President's 
momentary  attention  will  never  disappear.2 

Mrs.  Mary  A.  Livermore,  the  wife  of  D.  P.  Liver- 
more,  came  in  the  Spring  of  1865  to  invite  the  President 
and  Mrs.  Lincoln  to  visit  the  Northwestern  Fair.  Mrs. 
Livermore  did  great  work  in  the  hospitals.  Mr. 
Livermore  was  the  editor  of  the  New  Covenant,  pub- 
lished in  Chicago. 

With  a  Senator  as  escort,  Mrs.  Livermore  called  on 


1  Daily  Morning   Chronicle,  February  20,   1864. 

2  The  Writer. 


64  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

the  President  and  stated  the  mission.  The  President 
gave  a  humorous  account  of  his  visit  to  the  Philadelphia 
Fair.  Mrs.  Livermore  said  he  must  be  prepared  for  a 
still  greater  crowd  in  Chicago,  as  the  whole  Northwest 
would  come  out  to  shake  hands  with  him;  that  a  peti- 
tion for  his  attendance  in  circulation  would  be  signed 
by  ten  thousand  women. 

"What  do  you  suppose  my  wife  will  say,  at  ten 
thousand  ladies  coming  after  me  in  that  style?"  At 
the  assurance  that  Mrs.  Lincoln  was  included,  he  laughed 
heartily.  "It  would  be  wearisome,  but  it  would  gratify 
the  people  of  the  Northwest.  I  think  by  that  time, 
circumstances  will  permit  me  undertaking  a  short  tour 
West." 

Mr.  Livermore  writes  in  the  New  Covenant: 

"We  remained  for  some  time,  watching  the  crowds 
that  surged  through  the  spacious  apartments,  and  the 
President's  reception  of  them.  When  they  entered  the 
room  indifferently  and  gazed  at  him,  as  if  he  were  a 
part  of  the  furniture,  or  gave  him  simply  a  mechanical 
nod  of  the  head,  he  allowed  them  to  pass  on,  as  they 
elected.  But  when  he  was  met  by  a  warm  grasp  of  the 
hand,  a  look  of  genuine  friendliness,  the  President's 
look  and  manner  answered  the  expression  entirely.  To  the 
lowly  and  humble  he  was  especially  kind;  his  worn  face 
took  on  a  look  of  exquisite  tenderness,  as  he  shook 
hands  with  soldiers  who  carried  an  empty  coat  sleeve, 
or  swung  themselves  on  crutches;  and  not  a  child  was 
allowed  to  pass  him  by  without  a  kind  word  from  him. 
A  bright  boy,  about  the  size  and  age  of  the  son  he 
had  buried,  was  going  directly  by  without  appearing 
even  to  see  the  President.  'Stop,  my  little  man',  said 
Mr.  Lincoln,  laying  his  hand  on  his  shoulder,  'aren't  you 
going  to  speak  to  me?'  And  stooping  down  he  took  the 
child's  hands  in  his  own,  and  looked  lovingly  in  his 
face,  chatting  with  him  for  some  moments." 


m     ™ 


pq 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  65 

Francis  P.  Blair  of  Chicago,  in  The  Life  of  Abraham 
Lincoln  by  Ida  M.  Tarbell: 

"During  the  war  my  grandfather,  Francis  P.  Blair, 
Sr.,  lived  at  Silver  Springs,  north  of  Washington,  seven 
miles  from  the  White  House.  It  was  a  magnificent 
place  of  four  or  five  hundred  acres  with  an  extensive 
lawn  in  the  rear  of  the  house.  The  grandchildren 
gathered  there  frequently.  There  were  eight  or  ten  of 
us,  our  ages  ranging  from  eight  to  twelve  years. 
Although  I  was  but  seven  or  eight  years  of  age,  Mr. 
Lincoln's  visits  were  of  such  importance  to  us  boys  as 
to  leave  a  clear  impression  on  my  memory.  He  drove 
out  to  the  place  quite  frequently.  We  boys,  for  hours 
at  a  time,  played  'town  ball'  on  the  vast  lawn,  and  Mr. 
Lincoln  would  join  ardently  in  the  sport.  I  remember 
vividly  how  he  ran  with  the  children;  how  long  were  his 
strides,  and  how  far  his  coat  tails  stuck  out  behind,  and 
how  we  tried  to  hit  him  with  the  ball,  as  he  ran  the 
bases.  He  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  play  as  com- 
pletely as  any  of  us,  and  we  invariably  hailed  his  coming 
with  delight." 

The  marital  incident  to  be  narrated  indicates  Mr. 
Lincoln's  interest  in  the  human  kind  generally,  the 
humble  and  the  high,  those  he  had  seen  or  never  would 
see  again. 

It  is  thought  to  be  the  only  marriage  in  the  Executive 
Mansion  in  Mr.  Lincoln's  presidency  and  the  only 
marriage  in  the  Mansion  in  all  time  where  there  was 
no  kinship  with  the  family.     The  time — 1862. 

James  Henry  Chandler  and  his  sweetheart,  Elizabeth, 
lived  at  Mount  Sidney,  Virginia.  Their  courtship  was 
clandestine  and  their  leave-taking,  an  elopement.  To 
Harper's  Ferry  they  went  to  have  the  marriage  cere- 
mony. There  they  found  the  conditions  so  turbulent  it 
could  not  be  effected.  They  continued  on  by  stage  to 
the  City  of  Washington. 


66  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

Mrs.  Chandler,  a  widow,  and  over  eighty  years  of 
age,  a  resident  of  Anderson,  Indiana,  2819  East  Lynn 
street  in  the  Sunday  Star,  February  11,  1923,  tells  with 
particularity  and  vivacity,  of  the  wedding  and  co-relevant 
items : 

"We  were  just  a  couple  of  green  Virginians  from 
down  in  the  hills,  and  didn't  know  any  better  than  to 
go  to  the  White  House  to  get  married.  We  asked  a 
man  who  was  coming  out  of  the  White  House  if  we 
could  get  married  there.  He  said  that  he  didn't  know, 
but  he  took  us  to  the  door  where  the  colored  man  was 
standing,  and  this  porter  or  butler  or  whatever  you  call 
'em  took  us  to  the  President." 

"The  President  asked,  'Well,  what  do  you  children 
want?'     He  was  told  the  circumstances. 

"Mr.  Lincoln  turned  to  me  and  said,  'If  I  help  you 
to  be  married,  will  you  be  willing  to  give  your  husband 
to  fight  for  his  country?'  After  I  told  him  that  I  would, 
he  motioned  to  the  porter  and  then  Henry  and  the 
colored  fellow  went  away,  leaving  me  there  with  Mr. 
Lincoln,  but  they  soon  came  back,  bringing  a  man  with 
them  who  said  he  was  a  Baptist  minister. 

"Well,  he  (Mr.  Lincoln)  rang  a  bell  and  a  number 
of  people  came  in.  Then  he  said  that  we  were  nice 
looking  folks  and  he  didn't  understand  why  we  had 
to  run  away  to  get  married." 

"After  the  wedding  the  minister  informed  the  bride 
of  a  customary  privilege. 

"He  had  whiskers,  but  I  thought  that  as  I  was  there, 
I  might  as  well  go  through  with  it  all.  Mr.  Lincoln  was 
standing  by  the  minister  when  he  kissed  me,  and  looked 
for  Mr.  Lincoln  to  say  that  it  was  his  time  next,  but 
he  didn't. 

"Mr.  Lincoln  gave  the  bride  away  and  a  Cabinet 
member  was  the  best  man. 

"After  the  wedding  they  insisted  that  we  stay  there 
all  night.  A  lady  took  me  to  a  room  and  one  of  the 
men  took  Henry  to  another  room.     When  we  got  to 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  61 

the  room  the  lady  asked  me  if  I  had  another  dress  with 
me,  and  she  seemed  to  be  astonished  but  pleased,  when 
I  said  that  I  had.  She  told  me  that  a  number  of  people 
were  coming  to  the  White  House  to  spend  the  evening, 
and  that  I  had  better  get  my  clothes  changed,  for  they 
would  probably  want  us  to  come  down  and  join  the  party 
when  they  heard  of  the  wedding. 

"Soon  after  I  was  ready,  the  women  of  the  party 
came  to  my  room  and  the  men  went  to  Henry's  room, 
bringing  all  kinds  of  bells  and  making  all  kinds  of  noises. 
I  never  was  so  embarrassed  in  all  my  life.  We  had  to 
go  down  with  them  and  play  games,  and  say,  some  of 
those  young  men  actually  sat  in  my  lap.  I  didn't  know 
what  Henry  thought  about  that. 

"Later  in  the  evening  they  gave  a  supper  for  us.  I 
remember  they  served  some  kind  of  hot  punch.  It  was 
nearly  midnight  when  they  had  this  supper  and  after  the 
supper  they  began  to  dance.  I  pretended  that  I  didn't 
know  how  to  dance,  but  they  made  both  of  us  get  out 
on  the  floor  anyway.  I  don't  think  they  had  as  much 
fun  as  they  expected  to,  though,  for  even  if  we  were 
green  about  many  other  things  we  both  knew  how  to 
dance. 

"Yes,  they  were  awful  kind  and  all  that,  but  Henry 
and  I  were  not  used  to  so  much  fuss  being  made  over 
us,  and  we  were  anxious  to  get  away.  Finally  the  porter 
came  to  us  and  asked  when  we  would  like  to  go.  Henry 
told  him  that  we  would  like  to  go  just  as  soon  as  we 
possibly  could.  At  4  o'clock  he  got  our  things  for  us 
and  a  cab  took  us  to  a  place  where  we  could  start 
immediately  on  our  journey  home.  I  remember  that 
we  went  part  of  the  way  home  on  the  steamboat." 

Mrs.  Chandler  gives  some  health  rules:  "I  keep 
healthy  and  strong  by  walking  and  not  worrying.  I've 
gone  through  all  sorts  of  experiences  and  lived  here 
alone  all  these  years,  but  I  don't  allow  myself  to  worry 
about  anything.  What  will  be,  will  be  any  way;  so  why 
worry?" 

The  article  has  two  photographs  of  Mrs.  Chandler. 


68  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

Mr.   Chandler  was  of  Company    A,     1st    New    Jersey 
Cavalry. 

Jennie  Moore,  in  The  Evening  Star,  February  8, 
1925,  gives  an  interesting  account  of  a  romance  in 
which  Mr.  Lincoln  had  a  prominent  part.  The  account 
is  reluctantly  abbreviated. 

Anna  Carson,  an  attractive  Miss  of  seventeen, 
skipped  from  the  select  school  at  Carbondale,  Penna., 
to  come  to  Washington  to  join  her  lover,  John  McGee, 
a  patient  in  the  Carver  Hospital.  The  hospital  was 
located  where  is  now  Thirteenth  and  Monroe  streets. 
Miss  Carson  arrived  at  the  scene  and  at  the  moment 
perplexed,  was  met  by  a  youthful  widow,  Mrs.  David 
McFaul.  She,  sympathetic,  suggested  that  her  cousin, 
Mrs.  Mary  Holmead,  who  had  the  farm  across  the 
road,  might  care  for  her  as  she  did  for  others,  mostly 
the  relatives  of  the  invalid  soldiers.  It  was  agreed  to 
match  the  scruples  of  the  landlady  that  Miss  Carson 
should  be  Anna  McGee,  sister  to  John. 

Mrs.  Holmead  was  not  so  innocent  as  not  to  detect 
in  the  attentions  something  different  than  brotherly  and 
sisterly.  When  her  cousin  and  a  uniformed  soldier,  the 
"brother"  and  "sister"  drove  off,  she  more  than  sus- 
pected it  was  a  wedding  drive.  "After  the  good  pastor 
at  St.  Peter's  had  made  Anna  into  a  true  'McGee',  the 
little  party  returned  home  to  find  the  farmhouse  lighted 
from  roof  to  cellar  and  filled  with  the  neighbors  round 
about." 

Mrs.  McGee  decided  to  secure  a  furlough  from  the 
President.  She  with  Mrs.  McFaul  called  upon  him.  The 
call  was  in  August,  1864.  Mrs.  Mary  L.  Kimmel,  who 
was  the  Mrs.  McFaul,  narrates  for  herself: 

"We  waited  just  a  few  moments  when  we  entered  the 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  69 

hallway,  for  we  were  told  that  Mr.  Lincoln  was  busy. 
As  I  remember  there  were  not  a  great  many  people 
waiting  there  to  see  him.  Possibly  the  heat  of  the  day 
had  kept  them  away.  I  did  not  speculate  upon  that  at 
the  time,  nor  did  my  friend.  Now  that  we  had  made 
the  long  drive  and  actually  gotten  near  our  goal,  Mrs. 
McGee's  nervousness  had  increased,  and  she  was  a  little 
overawed  by  her  own  audacity.  The  attendant  soon  told 
us  that  the  President  was  disengaged  and  would  see  us 
now. 

"He  showed  us  into  the  office  where  Mr.  Lincoln  was 
seated  behind  his  desk.  Rising  as  we  came  in  at  the 
door,  the  President  came  forward  to  shake  hands  with 
us.  I  had,  of  course,  seen  him  before,  for  I  had  lived 
in  Washington  during  most  of  the  time  he  had  been  in 
the  White  House.  But  my  friend  had  never,  and  I 
think  his  height  overawed  her — that  and  the  fact  he  was 
President.  He  was  so  very  plain,  though  you  could 
approach  him  without  any  difficulty  whatever.  His  face 
was  dark  and  serious  as  he  invited  us  to  be  seated, 
returned  to  his  desk,  then  asked  what  he  could  do  for 
us. 

uMrs.  McGee  was  very  nervous  when  she  began  her 
story  of  running  away  from  school  to  see  her  John.  But 
when  she  saw  that  little  twinkle  that  came  into  the 
President's  eye,  she  quickened  her  story,  telling  finally 
of  the  marriage  and  of  the  furlough  from  active  cam- 
paigning which  she  desired  for  her  husband. 

"I  saw  the  twinkle  in  the  President's  eyes  deepening, 
and  when  she  got  to  the  story  of  how  she  and  John 
were  afraid  of  being  separated  if  it  was  found  out  that 
they  were  not  brother  and  sister  and  had  therefore, 
determiined  to  marry,  Mr.  Lincoln  laughed  out  loud. 

"He  started  to  tease  her,  asking  her  if  she  thought 
it  a  nice  thing  to  run  away  from  people  who  were 
caring  for  her,  and  pretending  to  scold  her  for  doing  it. 
His  attitude  was  so  like  that  of  any  fatherly  man  that 
she  was  entirely  at  her  ease  and  answered  him  quite 
pertly.  And  he,  still  smiling,  said  he  supposed  it  was 
no  more  than  could  be  expected  of  young  people. 


70  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

"Asking  her  husband's  full  name  and  the  number  of 
his  regiment,  he  wrote  them  down  upon  a  piece  of  paper 
on  his  desk  and  said  he  would  see  what  could  be  done 
about  the  desired  furlough. 

"He  asked  if  we  would  call  again  upon  a  certain  day 
about  a  week  later,  and  this,  of  course,  we  gladly  agreed 
to  do.  He  was  a  man  of  few  words,  not  at  all  lavish  in 
his  talk  but  he  smiled  as  he  bade  us  'good-day',  and 
rose  and  walked  with  us  to  the  door  of  the  office.  The 
heavy,  serious  look  seemed  to  have  lifted  from  his  face, 
and  he  had  proved  to  us  that  he  could  laugh  and  make 
a  joke  as  well  as  the  next. 

"Anna  and  I  were  shaky  with  excitement  when  we 
came  out  into  the  late  afternoon  sunlight.  It  seemed 
a  little  cooler,  and  I  think  we  both  felt  that  we  would 
get  what  we  wanted  now  that  we  had  told  Mr.  Lincoln 
about  it. 

"When  we  returned  to  keep  our  appointment  a  week 
later  the  President  remembered  us  and  was  very  cour- 
teous to  us.  He  had  the  furlough  ready,  just  as  we 
had  expected,  and  handed  it  to  Anna  in  the  kind  way 
he  had.  She  blushed  and  tried  to  tell  him  how  happy 
he  had  made  her.  And  it  seems  to  me  I  can  almost 
hear  him  say:  'I  am  very  glad  that  it  was  in  my 
power  to  make  you  happy.'  I  have  often  heard  men 
use  that  phrase,  but  I  never  heard  a  man  say  it  who 
seemed  to  mean  it  as  much  as  Mr.  Lincoln  did  that 
day." 

From  a  letter  in  the  Portland  Advertiser: 

"One  morning  early  in  January,  1864,  I  took  up  the 

Washington  Chronicle  and  read :  'The  sentence  of  death 

recently  passed  by  court-martial  upon  the  four  deserters 

*  *  *  has  been  approved  by  the  President  and  Friday, 

the  29th  inst.  has  been  fixed  upon  for  the  execution.' 

Jf»  *|C  ^C  3|5  3f~ 

"It  was  now  Wednesday,  and  the  next  Friday  was 
the  fatal  day.  About  ten  o'clock  a  gentleman  of  my 
acquaintance  came  to  my  room  saying  there  was  a 
woman  below  whose  husband  was  sentenced  to  be  shot, 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital         71 

and  couldn't  I  do  something  to  help  her?  The  woman 
was  indeed  there,  and  in  great  distress,  for  her  husband 
was  one  of  the  doomed  four.  He  had  deserted,  nor  will  I 
suppress  the  further  fact  that  this  was  the  second  time 
he  had  attempted  to  regain  his  family,  nor  the  further 
circumstance — a  doubtful  palliation — that  he  had  done 
so  while  excited  with  drink." 

***** 

The  writer  of  the  letter  tells  of  the  woman's  vain 
efforts  to  get  influence  by  which  an  audience  with  the 
President  could  be  had;  and,  of  their  going  to  the 
Executive  Mansion  and  her  failure  to  get  an  interview 
with  the  President  by  importuning  the  Secretary.  Then 
continued : 

"At  length  the  Secretaries  Chase,  Seward,  and 
Stanton  came  out,  so  that  I  know  the  Cabinet  meeting 
is  over,  and  now,  is  it  possible? — the  usher  approaches 
us. 

"Have  you  any  letters  for  the  President? 

"I  handed  him  one — the  letter  of  a  little  child,  the 
daughter  of  the  condemned.  It  was  the  child's  one 
thought,  as  she  had  written  it  without  prompting  or  aid, 
and  while  the  President  is  reading  it  you  may  do  the 
same. 

'To  His  Excellency  the  President  of  the  United 
States : 

'Most  Honored  and  Excellent  Sir — How  shall  a  child 
like  me  attempt  to  write  to  you  on  such  business  as  this 
concerning  my  father,  J.  W.  C,  who  is  sentenced — Oh  I 
how  can  I  write  it — to  be  shot.  Spare  his  poor  life, 
I  beseech  you,  and  many  thanks  shall  be  given  you.  If 
his  life  is  taken  my  mother  cannot  stand  this  heavy 
blow,  and  will  soon  go  also.  I  am  the  oldest  of  five 
children.  I  have  three  sisters  under  eight  years.  Do 
not  leave  us  fatherless,  I  beseech  you.  I  could  freely 
give  my  life  to  save  his. 

'Virginia  C 

"The  usher  soon  returns,  the  door,  that  has  seemed 


72  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

of  adamant  opens  before  us,  and  with  a  bewildering 
feeling  we  enter.  The  President  is  sitting  near  a  table, 
and  nearly  facing  the  door,  and  as  he  greets  us  politely, 
I  notice  traces  of  tears  upon  his  face.  His  voice,  too, 
betrays  emotion.' 

"  'Mr.  President/  I  said,  with  what  steadiness  I  could 
command,  'the  husband  of  this  lady,  J.  W.  C,  27th 
Regiment, — Volunteers,  is  sentenced  to  be  shot,  as  you 
have  learned  from  the  letter,  and  we  have  come  to  ask 
you  to  spare  his  life.  Men's  lives  are  getting  to  be 
precious.' 

"  'I  know  it  but  I  must  do  something  to  keep  those 
fellows,  or  half  of  them  would  run  away.' 

"He  said  at  last: 

"  'Now  you  women  may  go  home  comforted.  I  have 
telegraphed  for  them  not  to  be  executed  until  I  send  an 
order,  and  I  don't  intend  to  send  the  order.' 

"The  poor  woman  at  my  side  could  only  weep  her 
thanks,  but  I  recalled  saying  more  than  once :  'We  thank 
you  a  thousand  times,  Sir.' 

"The  President  rose  and  dismissed  us  in  a  pleasant 
and  cheerful  way,  but  yet  with  such  kindly  sympathy  in 
word  and  manner  as  I  shall  always  gratefully  and 
affectionately  remember." 

The  morning  of  July  2,  1863,  about  ten  o'clock,  Mrs. 
Lincoln  was  in  her  carriage  crossing  the  open  lot  near 
the  Mount  Pleasant  Hospital.  The  coachman's  seat 
became  detached  and  he  was  precipitated  to  the  ground. 
The  spirited  horses  took  frieght  and  dashed  away  at 
fearful  speed.  Mrs.  Lincoln,  who  was  alone,  seeing 
the  imminent  danger,  with  courage  and  presence  of  mind 
at  the  critical  moment,  sprang  from  the  carriage  as 
the  horses  flew.  She  was  stunned.  The  bruises  were 
painful  yet  not  serious.  The  most  severe,  one  on  the 
back  of  the  head  from  which  the  blood  flowed  freely. 
Surgeons  from  the  hospital  administered  promptly.     A 


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Letter  of  Mrs.  Lincoij 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  73 

carriage  was  taken  possession  of  and  she  was  carried  to 
the  White  House.1 

In  the  Chronicle,  November  29,  1862,  is  the  item: 

"Mrs.  Lincoln  returned  to  Washington  on  Thursday 
evening,  apparently  much  improved  by  her  visit  to  the 
North.  The  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  in  our  hospitals 
will  hail  her  return  with  joy." 

All  along — from  the  beginning  to  the  close  of  the  war 
— are  items  in  the  dailies  about  Mrs.  Lincoln's  visit  to 
the  camps  and  the  hospitals. 

From  my  youth  have  I  heard  derogatory  remarks  of 
Mrs.  Lincoln,  of  her  loyalty,  of  her  temper,  and  of 
her  mental  balance.  Of  the  last  mentioned  character- 
istic the  range  of  derogation  has  been  from  queerness 
to  insanity.  Invention  and  addition  to  invention  has 
been  passed  along.  "Falsehood  often  told  and  well 
stuck  is  as  good  as  the  truth"  surely  as  to  Mrs.  Lincoln 
has  had  verification.  Nothing  whatever  appears  con- 
current with  the  administration  to  justify;  on  the 
contrary  every  item  proves  her  steadfastness,  her 
humanity,  and  her  intellectuality  and  besides  unusual 
refinement  of  taste.2 

The  writer  was  well  acquainted  with  a  lady  who  at 
the  Executive  Mansion  with  Mrs.  Lincoln  and  others 
sewed  for  the  soldiers.  These  ladies  as  they  indus- 
triously plied  their  needles  could  have  reminded  of 
Hood's  doleful  song: 

"Work,  work,  work 

Till  the  brain  begins  to  swim! 
Work,  work,  work 

Till  the  eyes  are  heavy  and  dim !" 

xTne  Evening  Star.  The  Mount  Pleasant  Hospital  consisted  of 
a  two  story  frame  structure  and  accommodated  twelve  hundred 
patients.  It  was  about  three  hundred  yards  east  of  the  old 
Columbia  College. 

2  In  this  connection  see  Arnold's  Life  of  Abraham  Lincoln. 


74  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

It  might  be  supposed  that  the  daughters  of  the  lady 
with  pride  would  recall  the  part  in  the  work  of  sacrifice 
but  not  so — they  only  dwell  on  this — that  Mrs. 
Lincoln  borrowed  their  mother's  thimble  and  to  have 
one,  had  to  buy  another. 

The  writer's  Sunday  School  teacher  early  in  the 
seventies,  six  or  seven  years  after  the  war,  while  yet 
fresh  in  mind,  would  leave  the  realm  of  the  harps  and 
region  of  fires  to  belittle  Mrs.  Lincoln. 

A  metaphysician,  a  philosopher  of  the  mind,  or  a 
student  of  human  nature  or  of  impulses  which  move 
the  masses  has  in  Mrs.  Lincoln's  standing  a  problem 
for  solution. 

Letter  to  a  Kentuckian: 

"Executive  Mansion,  June  20,   1861. 
My  Dear  Sir: 

"It  gives  me  very  great  pleasure  to  be  the  medium 
of  transmission  of  these  weapons,  to  be  used  in  the 
defense  of  national  sovereignty  upon  the  soil  of  Ken- 
tucky. 

"Though  some  years  have  passed  since  I  left  my 
native  State,  I  have  never  ceased  to  contemplate  her 
progress  in  happiness  and  prosperity  with  sentiments 
of  fond  and  filial  pride.  In  every  effort  of  industrial 
energy,  in  every  enterprise  of  honor  and  valor  my  heart 
has  been  with  her.  And  I  rejoice  in  the  consciousness 
that,  at  this  time,  when  the  institutions  to  whose  foster- 
ing care  we  owe  all  we  have  of  happiness  and  glory 
are  rudely  assailed  by  ungrateful  and  paricidal  hands, 
the  State  of  Kentucky  ever  true  and  loyal,  furnishes  to 
the  insulted  flag  of  the  Union  a  guard  of  her  best  and 
bravest  sons.  On  every  field  the  prowess  of  the 
Kentuckians  has  been  manifested.  In  the  holy  cause  of 
national  defense  they  must  be  invincible. 

"Please  accept,  sir,  these  weapons  as  a  token  of  the 
love  I  shall  never  cease  to  cherish  for  my  mother  State, 
of  the  pride  with  which   I  have   always   regarded   the 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital         75 

exploits  of  her  sons,  and  the  confidence  which  I  feel 
in  the  ultimate  loyalty  of  her  people,  who,  while  never 
forgetting  the  homage  which  their  beloved  State  may 
justly  claim,  still  remember  the  higher  and  grander  alle- 
giance due  to  our  common  country. 

"Yours,  very  sincerely, 

"Mary  Lincoln." 
"Col.  John  Fry." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  wrote  letters  for  the  Soldiers' 
Fair  held  in  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  at  the  close  of 
1864.  Mrs.  Lincoln's  was  addressed  to  Miss  Isabel 
Clary.  It  was  raffled.  Springfield  Republican,  Dec.  30, 
1864. 

"Executive  Mansion,  Dec.  24. 

"Your  letter  of  the  12th  instant  has  been  received, 
and  as  it  always  affords  me  much  pleasure  to  forward 
so  laudable  an  object  as  the  one  mentioned  in  your 
note,  I  hasten  to  comply  with  your  flattering  request. 
I  most  sincerely  hope  that  your  highest  anticipations 
may  be  realized,  giving  you  all  that  may  be  necessary 
to  carry  on  plans  which  present  not  only  a  noble  pur- 
pose, in  the  cause  of  our  beloved  and  struggling  country, 
but  also  a  generous,  humane,  and  great  good  in  the 
comfort  of  the  brave  and  noble  hearts  battling  for  our 
glorious  Union.  With  heartfelt  hope  I  pray  God  speed 
you  and  crown  your  efforts  with  success. 

"Very  truly,  yours, 

"Mary  Lincoln." 

When  the  President  was  held  to  his  office,  Mrs. 
Lincoln,  sometimes,  alone  would  visit  the  camps  in  the 
city  and  in  the  environs  of  the  city.  An  instance  is  the 
visit  in  November,  1861,  to  the  camp  of  Colonel  John 
Cochrane's  regiment  of  chasseurs  near  Glenwood  Ceme- 
tery. Such  were  the  assiduous  ministrations  to  the 
sick  and  wounded  in  the  Union  hospitals  of  Mrs. 
Lincoln  that  she  in  the  South  was  derisively  styled,  "The 
Yankee  Nurse". 


76  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

"Mrs.  Lincoln'' 

"Now  for  our  own  country,  with  its  ordeal  of  fire 
and  its  baptism  of  blood.  The  Lady  who  presides  as 
the  wife  of  the  Chief  Magistrate  brought  with  her 
from  the  West  a  reputation  for  refinement  and  love  of 
the  beautiful,  that  has  been  admirably  realized.  The 
stamp  of  her  exquisite  taste  is  left  on  the  furnishing  of 
the  Presidential  Mansion,  that  never  looked  so  well 
as  now;  and  though  in  deepest  mourning,  there  is  a 
delicacy  displayed  in  the  arrangement  of  her  toilette 
that  is  unequaled  in  any  country  for  her  classic  adap- 
tation and  elegance.  She  possesses  that  calm  and  conscious 
dignity  that  is  unruffled  by  envy  and  unsullied  by  detrac- 
tion, though  malice  hides  itself  in  the  tongues  of  the 
secessionists.  She  was  celebrated  for  her  conversa- 
tional powers  in  the  society  in  which  she  moved  in  St. 
Louis  and  at  Chicago,  and  her  kindness  and  cordiality 
has  acted  like  oil  poured  on  the  troubled  waters  here. 
In  youth  she  must  have  been  very  beautiful,  and  'like 
light  within  a  vase',  her  whole  features  illuminate  with 
their  joyous  sparkle  of  a  cultivated  intellect.  Well  may 
Dr.  Russell1  say,  'I  never  was  more  disappointed  in  any 
person  than  Mrs.  Lincoln;  her  manners  would  adorn  a 
court.'  The  atmosphere  of  elevated  sentiments,  such  as 
seeks  companionship  with  the  diviner  virtues  of  our 
nature,  and  never  descends  from  its  higher  sphere, 
dwells  and  abides  with  her.  Her  voice  is  rich  with  the 
cadence  of  a  pure,  patriotic  and  womanly  heart.  In 
her  mission  of  mercy  to  sick  soldiers,  she  fears  no  dis- 
ease, and  having  felt  deep  bereavement  herself,  she 
gently  dries  the  tears  of  the  widow  and  the  orphan. 
Such  is  she,  to  whom  God  grant  many  long  and  sunny 
days  on  earth  to  do  his  good  word  and  work."2 
L  in  the  Daily  Morning  Chronicle, 

"It  is  a  general  remark  that  Mrs.  Lincoln,  at  her 
receptions  and  parties,  is  always  dressed  with  the  most 
perfect   taste — always  richly   and   elegantly,    and  never 

1  W.  H.  Russell.     Correspondent  of  London  Times. 
a  Daily  Morning  Chronicle.     March   11,  1863. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  11 

over-dressed.  Today  she  was  robed  in  purple  velvet; 
she  wears  a  postillion  basque,  waist,  or  body,  of  the 
same,  made  high  at  the  throat,  and  relieved  by  an  ele- 
gant point-lace  collar,  fastened  by  a  knot  of  some  dainty 
white  material  in  the  centre  of  which  glistens  a  single 
diamond.  The  seams  of  the  basque  and  skirt  are  corded 
with  white  and  the  skirt,  basque  and  full  open  sleeves 
all  richly  trimmed  with  a  heavy  fringe  of  white  chenille. 
The  delicate  head-dress  is  of  purple  and  white,  to  match 
the  dress.  It  is  all  very  becoming,  and  she  is  looking 
exceedingly  well,  and  receiving  and  dismissing  her 
guests  with  much  apparent  ease  and  grace.  Mrs. 
Lincoln  is  short  in  stature,  plump  and  round  favored, 
with  a  very  pleasant  countenance."1 

Mrs.  Lincoln  with  Mrs.  Halleck,  the  wife  of  the 
General,  sported  in  horseback  riding;  the  latter  was 
especially  expert  in  horsemanship. 

Mrs.  Keckley: 

"In  1863  the  Confederates  were  flushed  with  victory, 
and  sometimes  it  looked  as  if  the  proud  flag  of  the 
Union,  the  glorious  old  Stars  and  Stripes,  must  yield 
half  its  nationality  to  the  tri-barred  flag  that  floated 
grandly  over  long  columns  of  gray.  These  were  sad 
anxious  days  to  Mr.  Lincoln  and  those  who  saw  the 
man  in  privacy  only,  could  tell  how  much  he  suffered. 
One  day  he  came  into  the  room  where  I  was  fitting  a 
dress  on  Mrs.  Lincoln.  His  step  was  slow  and  heavy, 
and  his  face  sad.  Like  a  tired  child  he  threw  himself 
upon  a  sofa,  and  shaded  his  eyes  with  his  hands.  He 
was  a  complete  picture  of  dejection.  Mrs.  Lincoln, 
observing  his  troubled  look,  asked, 

'  Where  have  you  been  father?' 

'To  the  War  Department'  was  the  brief,  almost 
sullen  answer. 

'Any  news?' 

'Yes,  plenty  of  news,  but  no  good  news.  It  is  dark, 
dark  everywhere.' 


"February  20,  1864. 


78  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

"He  reached  forth  one  of  his  long  arms,  and  took  a 
small  Bible  from  the  stand  near  the  head  of  the  sofa, 
opened  the  pages  of  the  holy  book,  and  soon  was 
absorbed  in  reading  them.  A  quarter  of  an  hour  passed, 
and  on  glancing  at  the  sofa  the  face  of  the  President 
seemed  more  cheerful.  The  dejected  look  was  gone,  and 
the  countenance  was  lighted  up  with  new  resolution. 
*  *  *  Making  the  search  for  a  missing  article  an 
excuse,  I  walked  gently  around  the  sofa  and  looking  into 
the  open  book,  I  discovered  that  Mr.  Lincoln  was  read- 
ing that  divine  comforter,  Job." 

Mrs.  Keckley: 

"Mr.  Lincoln  was  generous  by  nature,  and  though  his 
whole  heart  was  in  the  war,  he  could  not  but  respect  the 
valor  of  those  opposed  to  him.  His  soul  was  too  great 
for  the  narrow,  selfish  views  of  partisanship.  Brave  by 
nature  himself,  he  honored  bravery  in  others,  even  his 
foes.  Time  and  again  I  have  heard  him  speak  in 
highest  terms  of  the  soldierly  qualities  of  such  brave 
Confederate  generals  as  Lee,  Stonewall  Jackson,  and 
Joseph  E.  Johnson.  Jackson  was  his  ideal  soldier.  'He 
is  a  brave,  honest  Presbyterian  soldier,'  were  his 
words;  'what  a  pity  that  we  should  have  to  fight  such  a 
gallant  fellow.'  If  we  only  had  such  a  man  to  lead  the 
armies  of  the  North,  the  country  would  not  be  appalled 
with  so  many  disasters.  *  *  *  The  very  morning  of  the 
day  on  which  he  was  assassinated  his  son,  Capt.  Robert 
Lincoln  came  into  the  room  with  a  portrait  of  General 
Lee  in  his  hand.  The  President  took  the  picture,  laid 
it  on  a  table  before  him,  scanned  the  face  thoughtfully, 
and  said.  'It  is  a  good  face,  it  is  the  face  of  a  noble, 
noble,  brave  man.  I  am  glad  that  the  war  is  over  at 
last.'  " 

Elizabeth  Keckley,  formerly  a  slave  was  the  modiste 
to  Mrs.  Jefferson  Davis  and  immediately  upon  the 
coming  of  Mrs.  Lincoln,  for  her,  served  in  that  most 
important  capacity.  She  made  Mrs.  Lincoln's  gown  for 
the   first   reception   and   all   the   gowns   throughout   her 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  79 

occupation  of  the  Executive  Mansion.  She  was  fre- 
quently with  the  family  and  with  Mr.  Lincoln  she  was 
"Madam  Elizabeth"  and  with  Mrs.  Lincoln  'Lizabeth'. 
After  the  death  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  Mrs.  Keckley  accom- 
panied Mrs.  Lincoln  to  Illinois  and  New  York.  Mrs. 
Keckley  in  her  "Behind  the  Scenes"  gives  Mrs.  Lincoln's 
character  and  conduct  in  detail  together  with  numerous 
letters  from  Mrs.  Lincoln  to  her.1 

Mr.  Lincoln  was  partial  to  the  opera  and  the  drama. 
He  was  a  Shakspearean  student  and  could  quote  from 
the  bard  at  length.  A  notable  performance  was  the 
inauguration  of  the  new  Grover's  Theatre  (The  Nation- 
al), October  6,  1863.  Of  the  strong  cast  was  E.  L. 
Davenport,  Othello;  J.  W.  Wallack,  Iago;  Mrs.  Farren, 
Emelia.  The  audience  had  difficulty  in  refraining  from 
turning  the  affair  into  an  ovation  to  Mr.  Lincoln  who 
came  to  see  the  play  and  for  nothing  else. 

To  James  H.  Hackett. 
"Executive  Mansion,  August  17,   1863. 
My  Dear  Sir: 

"Months  ago  I  should  have  acknowledged  the  receipt 
of  your  book  and  accompanying  kind  note;  and  I  now 
have  to  beg  your  pardon  for  not  having  done  so. 

"For  one  of  my  age  I  have  seen  very  little  of  the 
drama.  The  first  presentation  of  Falstaff  I  ever  saw 
was  yours  here,  last  winter  or  spring.  Perhaps  the 
best  compliment  I  can  pay  is  to  say,  as  I  truly  can,  I 
am  very  anxious  to  see  it  again.2  Some  of  Shakespeare's 
plays  I  have  never  read;  while  others  I  have  gone 
over  perhaps  as  frequently  as  anv  professional  reader. 
Among  the  latter  are  Tear',  'Richard  IIP,  'Henry  VIP, 
'Hamlet',  and  especially  'Macbeth'.  I  think  nothing 
equals  'Macbeth'.     It  is  wonderful. 

1  Mrs.  Keckley  lived  at  1017  12  St.,  N.W.  during  the  Civil  War  and 
for  many  years  thereafter. 

2  Saw  it  at  Ford's,  December  13,  1863. 


80  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

"Unlike  you  gentlemen  of  the  profession,  I  think 
the  soliloquy  in  'Hamlet'  commencing  'Oh,  my  offense 
is  rank',  surpasses  that  commencing  'To  be  or  not  to 
be'.  But  pardon  this  small  attempt  at  criticism.  I 
should  like  to  hear  you  pronounce  the  opening  speech 
of  'Richard  IIP.  Will  you  not  soon  visit  Washington 
again?  If  you  do,  please  call  and  let  me  have  your 
personal   acquaintance. 

"Yours  truly, 
"A.  Lincoln." 
"To  James  H.  Hackett. 
(Private) 

"Washington,  D.  C,  November  2,  1863. 
"My  Dear  Sir: 

"My  note  to  you  I  certainly  did  not  expect  to  see  in 
print:  yet  I  have  not  been  much  shocked  by  the  news- 
paper comments  upon  it.  Those  comments  constitute 
a  fair  specimen  of  what  has  occurred  to  me  through  life. 
I  have  endured  a  great  deal  of  ridicule  without  much 
malice;  and  have  received  a  great  deal  of  kindness,  not 
quite  free  from  ridicule.     I  am  used  to  it. 

"Yours  truly, 
"A.  Lincoln." 

Mr.  Lincoln  had  been  President  less  than  two  years 
when  a  citizen  of  Washington  proposed  a  statue  to  be 
located  in  Northern  Liberties  Square,  where  is  the 
Public  Library.  The  proposal  had  consummation  in  the 
statue  paid  by  popular  contribution  and  placed  in  front 
of  the  Court  House  and  unveiled  April  15,  1868. 

"Mr.  Editor:  Speaking  about  commemorating  the 
great  actions  of  some  of  our  public  men,  I  find  that  it 
is  necessary  for  them  to  die,  before  that  award  comes. 
That  was  the  case  with  Washington,  Jefferson,  Jackson, 
and  a  host  of  others. 

"Well,  sir,  why  should  we  not  break  through  this  old 
custom  and  give  this  award  to  them  who  have  done 
service  to  the  country,  before  they  die?"1 

1  Communication,   December   31,    1862,  National  Republican. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  81 

On  the  walls  of  the  Oxford  University,  England,  is 
an  engrossed  copy  of  the  letter  of  President  Lincoln  to 
Mrs.  Bixby,  "as  a  specimen  of  the  purest  English  and 
most  elegant  diction  extant." 

"Executive  Mansion 

"Washington,  Nov.  21,    1864 
"To  Mrs  Bixby,  Boston,  Mass. 
Dear  Madam. 

"I  have  been  shown  in  the  files  of  the  War  Depart- 
ment a  statement  of  the  Adjutant  General  of  Massa- 
chusetts that  you  are  the  mother  of  five  sons  who  have 
died  gloriously  on  the  field  of  battle.  I  feel  how  weak 
and  fruitless  must  be  any  word  of  mine  which  should 
attempt  to  beguile  you  from  the  grief  of  a  loss  so 
overwhelming.  But  I  cannot  refrain  from  tendering  you 
the  consolation  that  may  be  found  in  the  thanks  of  the 
republic  they  died  to  save.  I  pray  that  our  Heavenly 
Father  may  assuage  the  anguish  of  your  bereavement, 
and  leave  you  only  the  cherished  memory  of  the  loved 
and  lost,  and  the  solemn  pride  that  must  be  yours  to 
have  laid  so  costly  a  sacrifice  upon  the  altar  of  freedom. 
"Yours  very  sincerely  and  respectfully. 

"A.  Lincoln" 

Of  the  four  local  newspapers,  the  Intelligencer  alone 
espoused  the  cause  of  General  McClellan  for  the 
Presidency.  After  the  election,  a  few  months,  the 
proprietorship  of  that  paper  changed,  and  the  policy 
changed  back  to  agree  with  that  of  President  Lincoln. 

In  1864  a  bolt  was  made.  The  bolters  in  convention 
met  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  to  rescue  the  country  from  the 
incubus  of  Abraham  Lincoln.  B.  Gratz  Brown,  of 
Missouri,  led.  Mr.  Hay  says  that  when  Lincoln  was 
told  of  it  he  asked  how  many  were  present,  and  being 
told  about  four  hundred,  he  picked  up  the  bible  close  at 
hand  and  read  1  Samuel  XXII  2. 

"And  every  one  that  was  in  distress,  and  every  one 


82  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

that  was  in  debt,  and  every  one  that  was  discontented, 
gathered  themselves  unto  him;  and  he  became  a  captain 
over  them;  and  there  were  with  him  about  four  hundred 


Mr.  Lincoln  was  open  and  truthful.  Of  his  re-elec- 
tion he  was  not  confident  and  he  expressed  his  lack  of 
confidence.  He  was  the  reverse  of  the  politicians  of  this 
period  who  are  always  cocksure  of  success  or  claim  to 
be  for  effect  with  the  voters. 

This  is  a  part  of  the  President's  response  to  the 
Maryland  serenaders,  October  20,  1864: 

"I  therefore  say  that,  if  I  shall  live  I  shall  remain 
President  until  the  4th  of  next  March,  and  that  whoever 
shall  be  constitutionally  elected  therefor  in  November 
shall  be  duly  installed  as  President  on  the  4th  of  March 
and  that  in  the  interval  I  shall  do  my  utmost  that  who- 
ever is  to  hold  the  helm  for  the  next  voyage  shall  start 
with  the  possible  chance  of  saving  the  ship." 

Of  the  electoral  vote  Mr.  Lincoln  had  212:  with 
Tennessee  and  Louisiana  excluded.  The  electoral  vote 
was  far  out  of  proportion  to  the  popular  vote.  Mr. 
Lincoln  had  2,213,665  to  General  McClellan's  1,802,- 
237  or  twelve  per  cent  more.  Without  the  soldiers' 
vote,  Pennsylvania's  electoral  vote  would  have  been  cast 
for  the  General. 

In  the  morning  at  half-past  one,  November  9th,  at  the 
window  to  the  Pennsylvania  serenaders,  President 
Lincoln  said: 

"I  am  thankful  to  God  for  this  approval  of  the 
people;  but  while  deeply  gratified  for  this  mark  of 
confidence  in  me  if  I  know  my  heart,  my  gratitude  is 
free  from  any  taint  of  personal  triumph.  I  do  not 
impugn  the  motives  of  anyone  opposed  to  me.  It  is  no 
pleasure  to  me  to  triumph  over  any  one.     But  I  give 


1  The  Philadelphia  Inquirer,  March  16,  1925. 


tA^-%i^r^j 


;      '• 

Mr.  Lincoln's  Letter,  August  23,   186+ 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  83 

thanks  to  the  Almighty  for  this  evidence  of  the  people's 
resolution  to  stand  by  free  government  and  the  rights 
of  humanity." 

The  length  of  this  paper  is  intentionally  restricted 
and  the  restriction  goes  hard  with  the  temptation  to 
quote  freely  from  Mr.  Lincoln's  speech,  the  next  day 
on  popular  elections.     Only  a  paragraph  is  taken: 

"We  cannot  have  free  government  without  elections: 
and  if  the  rebellion  could  force  us  to  forego  or  postpone 
a  national  election,  it  might  fairly  claim  to  have  already 
conquered  and  ruined  us.  The  strife  of  the  election  is 
but  human  nature  practically  applied  to  the  facts  of 
the  case.  What  has  occurred  in  this  case  must  ever 
recur  in  similar  cases.  Human  nature  will  not  change. 
In  any  future  great  national  trial,  compared  with  the 
men  in  this,  we  shall  have  as  weak  and  as  strong,  as 
silly  and  as  wise,  as  bad  and  as  good." 

The  Evening  Star,  March  6,  1865: 

"Four  years  ago,  on  the  occasion  of  the  inauguration, 
the  weather  was  dry,  and  tornadoes  of  dust  swept 
through  the  streets.  Commissioner  Blake1  then  had  a 
large  force  of  men  at  work  on  the  night  preceding  the 
inauguration  removing  the  dust  from  the  avenue 
between  the  White  House  and  the  Capitol.  This  year 
the  streets  were  covered  with  a  thick  coating  of  mud, 
carrying  out  the  saying  that  Washington  alternates  from 
dust  to  mud  or  vice  versa" 

Daniel  R.  Goodloe  was  the  Marshal-in-Chief. 

In  the  forenoon  heavy  clouds  obscured  the  sky  and 
at  intervals  rain  was  freely  falling.  When  the  President 
appeared  on  the  platform  before  the  multitude  the 
clouds  rolled  off  and  the  sun  shone  forth. 

Chief  Justice  Chase  administered  the  oath  of  office. 

Mr.  Lincoln's  inaugural  address  had  the  conclusion: 


1  John  B.  Blake,  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings. 


84  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

"With  malice  toward  none,  with  charity  for  all,  with 
firmness  in  the  right,  as  God  gives  us  to  see  the  right, 
let  us  strive  on  to  finish  the  work  we  are  in,  to  bind 
up  the  nation's  wounds,  to  care  for  him  who  shall  have 
borne  the  battle,  and  for  his  widow  and  his  orphans: 
to  do  all  which  may  achieve  and  cherish  a  just  and 
lasting  peace  among  ourselves  and  with  all  nations." 

The  memorable  address  has  five  hundred  and  eighty 
five  words.     Of  it  the  London  Spectator  has: 

"On  the  4th  instant,  the  day  of  inaugurating  his 
second  term,  President  Lincoln  read  a  short  state  paper, 
which  for  political  weight,  moral  dignity  and  unaffected 
solemnity  has  had  no  equal  in  our  time.  *  *  *  No 
statesman  ever  uttered  words  stamped  at  once  with  the 
seal  of  so  deep  a  wisdom  or  so  true  a  simplicity." 

The  inaugural  ball  was  in  the  north  hall  of  the  Patent 
Office  which  previously  had  been  used  for  fairs  and 
other  affairs  of  patriotic  purpose.  It  was  on  Monday 
evening,  March  6th.  The  President  was  accompanied 
by  Speaker  Colfax,  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  by  Senator 
Sumner. 

"A  Day  At  The  White  House."  The  editor  of  the 
Baltimore  American  visited  the  Presidential  Mansion, 
Tuesday,  March  21,  1865,  and  graphically  described 
what  he  saw  after  the  doors  had  been  thrown  open  to 
the  public.  That  day,  the  days  between  and  the  day 
of  the  assassination  make  twenty-five  days.  No  life  of 
Lincoln  which  claims  completeness  should  be  published 
without  that  "A  Day  At  The  White  House"  is  entirely 
embodied.  It  gives  an  insight  into  Lincoln's  character — 
that  is  not  the  word — it  gives  an  exposition.  That  at  all 
times  the  President  was  merciful  yet  he  never  exercised 
mercy  to  defeat  justice.  He  was  prompt  at  decision. 
He  was  true  to  his  convictions. 

"All  that  remained  in  the  ante-room  were  invited  to 
enter  and  take  seats.  The  President  then  commenced 
to   dispose   of  them   in   his   frank,   cordial   and   candid 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  85 

manner,  the  presence  of  a  'cloud  of  witnesses'  enabling 
him  to  get  through  them  much  more  rapidly  than  if 
each  had  been  granted  a  private  interview."  His  com- 
ment on  each  case  was  peculiar  to  himself.  Nine  cases 
are  given  in  detail. 

An  old  gentleman  whose  sons  had  been  killed  in 
battle  had  come  to  Washington  for  employment.  The 
President  said  that  Washington  is  the  worst  place  in 
the  country  for  anyone  to  better  his  condition  and  he 
advised  him  to  go  home  by  the  next  train.  He  wished 
some  species  of  saffron  tea  could  be  administered  to 
produce  an  eruption  of  those  already  in  Washington, 
and  make  the  migration  fever  strike  out  instead  of 
strike  in.  The  supplicant  replied  that  he  had  no  means 
to  go  and  urged  a  note  to  the  quartermaster.  The 
President  after  thinking  a  minute,  wrote  something  on 
a  piece  of  paper.  The  old  gentleman's  countenance 
brightened  and  with  profuse  thanks  he  retired. 

He  informed  petitioner  number  two  "Under  no  cir- 
cumstances will  I  interfere  with  the  order  of  General 
Grant." 

The  third  was  an  applicant  for  a  small  country  post 
office  accompanied  by  a  Democrat  member  of  Congress. 
The  President  read  the  application  and  responded  at 
once,  "You  shall  have  it",  and  endorsed  his  approval 
on  the  back.  The  member  remarked,  "I  presume,  Mr. 
President,  that  it  is  because  I  trouble  you  so  little  that 
you  so  promptly  grant  my  request."  The  President 
responded  "That  reminds  me  of  my  experience  as  an 
old  Whig  member  of  Congress,  I  was  always  in  the 
opposition  and  I  had  no  troubles  of  this  kind  at  all. 
It  was  the  easiest  thing  imaginable  to  be  an  opposition 
member — no  running  to  the  Department  and  the  White 
House." 


86  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

Fourth:  An  old  man  as  intermediary  sought  to  have 
pardoned  from  the  penitentiary  a  man  convicted  of 
stealing  two  pairs  of  pantaloons  and  a  pair  of  shoes 
belonging  to  the  government,  from  a  box  he  was  hauling 
in  his  dray.  The  State's  Attorney  admitted  a  witness 
testified  he  had  sold  the  defendant  a  pair  of  shoes. 
Said  the  President:  "Yes,  so  much  for  the  shoes,  but 
nothing  about  the  pantaloons.  The  jury  had  the  whole 
facts  before  them,  and  I  am  sorry  for  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren, sir,  but  the  man  must  be  punished." 

A  deserter,  technically  that  or  not  intentionally  that, 
who  had  overstayed  to  see  his  dying  sister,  was  promptly 
pardoned. 

A  young  widow,  the  mother  of  three  children,  whose 
husband  had  been  killed  in  battle  presented  an  appli- 
cation for  the  appointment  of  herself  as  postmistress  of 
a  small  town  in  Orange  county,  New  York.  The 
President  received  her  kindly.  He  told  her  to  leave 
all  the  papers  with  him,  and  that  he  would  examine 
them  thoroughly  and  do  the  best  he  could  for  her  case. 
He  advised  her  to  return  home  and  trust  her  case  with 
him  as  he  would  attend  to  it  as  well  in  her  absence  as 
if  she  were  present.  "I  cannot  act  on  it  at  once;  for 
although  I  am  President,  you  must  remember  that  I 
am  but  one  horse  in  the  team,  and  if  the  others  pull  in 
a  different  direction,  it  will  be  a  hard  matter  for  me  to 
outpull  them." 

To  the  ninth  case  the  President  declared  "I  don't  know 
why  it  is  that  I  am  troubled  with  these  cases,  but  if  I 
were,  by  interfering,  to  make  a  hole  through  which  a 
kitten  might  pass  it  would  soon  be  large  enough  for  the 
old  cat  to  get  through  also." 

Mrs.  Lincoln  had  her  share  of  the  perplexities  and 
exigencies.    The  forenoon  of  that  "A  Day  At  The  White 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  87 

House,"  a  young  woman  presented  herself  with  three 
children,  one,  all  but  an  infant.  She  asked  to  see  the 
President  and  being  told  he  was  in  cabinet  session  and 
could  not  be  seen,  she  set  the  children  on  the  floor  of  the 
East  Room  and  declared  her  husband  had  been  killed 
in  the  war  and  she  brought  the  children  to  see  the  Presi- 
dent and  intended  to  leave  them  with  him.  The  woman 
was  deranged  by  affliction.  Mrs.  Lincoln  gave  humane 
directions. 

The  surrender  at  Appomattox  was  on  Sunday,  April 
9th.  The  next  day  the  citizens  organized  a  parade  and 
called  upon  the  President.  How  he  sidestepped  a  speech 
and  at  the  same  time  made  a  happy  hit,  follows: 

"I  am  very  much  rejoiced  my  friends,  in  the  fact 
that  an  occasion  so  pleasurable  that  the  people  find  it 
impossible  to  refrain  from  giving  vent  to  their  feelings, 
I  suppose  that  arrangements  are  being  made  for  a  for- 
mal demonstration  either  this  or  tomorrow  evening. 
Should  such  demonstration  take  place  I,  of  course,  will 
be  expected  to  respond,  if  called  upon,  and  if  I  permit 
you  to  dribble  all  out  of  me  now,  I  will  have  nothing 
to  say  on  that  occasion. 

"I  observe  that  you  have  a  band  of  music  with  you. 
I  propose  having  this  interview  closed  by  the  band  per- 
forming a  particular  tune  I  shall  name.  Before  this  is 
done,  however,  I  wish  to  mention  one  or  two  circum- 
stances connected  with  it. 

"I  have  always  thought  that  'Dixie'  was  one  of  the 
best  tunes  I  had  ever  heard.  Our  adversaries  over  the 
way,  I  know,  have  attempted  to  appropriate  it,  but  I 
insist  that  on  yesterday  we  fairly  captured  it.  I  referred 
the  question  to  the  Attorney  General  and  he  gave  it  as 
his  legal  opinion  that  it  is  now  our  property.  I  now  ask 
the  band  to  favor  us  with  its  performance." 

The  Intelligencer,  the  next  day,  apropos,  was  moved 
to  say: 

"There  is  a  world  of  significance  in  the  characteristic 
speech  made  by  Mr.  Lincoln  to  the  tune  of  Dixie.     It  is 


88  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

one  of  the  happiest  things  ever  perpetrated  by  the  Presi- 
dent, and  its  utterance  is  the  wisdom  of  statesmanship. 
May  we  soon  hear  the  'Star  Spangled  Banner'  and 
'Yankee  Doodle'  borne  from  Southern  lips  to  our  bor- 
ders. The  President  understands  well  the  power  of 
natural  songs  and  what  is  better,  he  uses  it  in  the  right 
time  and  for  a  good  purpose." 

Elihu  B.  Washburne  in  the  Introduction  to  The  Life 
of  Abraham  Lincoln  by  Isaac  N.  Arnold  says  of  Mr. 
Arnold,  "It  may  be  truly  said  that  no  man  was  better 
qualified  to  write  a  serious  and  authoritative  life  of 
Mr.  Lincoln  and  to  enlighten  the  public  to  the  character, 
career  and  services  of  that  illustrious  man." 

Mr.  Arnold  in  the  Life  writes: 

"His  reception-room  which  he  called  his  office  was 
on  the  second  floor  on  the  south  side  of  the  White 
House,  and  the  second  apartment  from  the  southeast 
corner,  the  corner  room  looking  east  towards  the 
treasury  being  occupied  by  his  private  secretary.  It  was 
about  twenty-five  by  forty  feet  in  size  In  the  center,  on 
the  west,  was  a  large  white  marble  fire-place,  with  big 
old-fashioned  brass  andirons,  and  a  large  and  high  brass 
fender.  A  wood  fire  was  burning  in  cool  weather.  The 
large  windows  opened  on  the  beautiful  lawn  to  the 
south  with  a  view  of  the  unfinished  Washington  Monu- 
ment, the  Smithsonian  Institute,  the  Potomac,  Alexan- 
dria, and  down  the  river  towards  Mt.  Vernon.  Across 
the  Potomac  were  Arlington  Heights,  and  Arlington 
House,  late  the  residence  of  Robert  E.  Lee.  On 
the  hills  around  during  nearly  all  of  his  administration, 
were  the  white  tents  of  soldiers,  and  field  fortifications 
and  camps,  and  in  every  direction,  could  be  seen  the 
brilliant  colors  of  the  national  flag.  The  furniture  of 
the  room  consisted  of  a  large  oak  table  covered  with 
cloth,  extending  north  and  south,  and  it  was  around 
this  table  that  the  Cabinet  sat  when  it  held  its  meetings. 
Near  the  end  of  the  table,  and  between  the  windows, 
was  another  table,  on  the  west  side  of  which  the  Presi- 
dent  sat   in    a   large    arm   chair,    and   at   this   table   he 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  89 

wrote.  A  tall  desk  with  pigeon-holes  for  papers  stood 
against  the  south  wall.  The  only  books  usually  found 
in  this  room  were  the  Bible,  the  United  States  Statutes, 
and  a  copy  of  Shakespeare.  There  were  a  few  chairs, 
and  two  plain  hair-covered  sofas.  There  were  two  or 
three  map  frames,  from  which  hung  military  maps  on 
which  the  position  and  movements  of  the  armies  was 
traced.  There  was  an  old  and  discolored  engraving  of 
General  Jackson  on  the  mantel  and  later  a  photograph 
of  John  Bright.  Doors  opened  into  this  room  from  the 
room  of  the  secretary,  and  from  the  outside  hall  run- 
ning east  and  west  across  the  House.  A  bell  cord 
within  reach  of  his  hand  extended  to  the  secretary's 
office.  A  messenger  stood  at  the  door  opening  from  the 
hall  who  took  in  the  cards  and  names  of  visitors.  Here, 
in  this  room,  Mr.  Lincoln  spent  most  of  his  time  while 
President.  Here  he  received  every  one  from  the  Chief 
Justice  and  Lieutenant  General  to  the  private  soldier 
and  humblest  citizen.  Custom  had  fixed  certain  rules  of 
precedence,  and  the  order  in  which  officials  should  be 
received.  Members  of  the  Cabinet  and  the  high  officers 
of  the  army  and  navy  were  generally  promptly  admitted. 
Senators  and  members  of  Congress  were  received  in  the 
order  of  their  arrival.  Sometimes  there  would  be  a 
crowd  of  senators  and  members  of  Congress  waiting 
their  turn.  While  thus  waiting,  the  loud  ringing  laugh 
of  Mr.  Lincoln — in  which  he  would  be  joined  by  those 
inside,  but  which  was  rather  provoking  to  those  outside 
— would  be  heard  by  the  waiting  and  impatient  crowd. 
Here,  day  after  day,  often  from  early  morning  to  late 
at  night,  Lincoln  sat,  listened  and  decided.  He 
was  patient,  just,  considerate,  and  hopeful.  The  people 
came  to  him  as  to  a  father.  He  saw  everyone,  and 
many  wasted  his  precious  time.  Governors,  senators, 
congressmen,  officers,  clergymen,  bankers,  merchants — 
all  classes  approached  him  with  familiarity.  This  in- 
cessant labor,  the  study  of  the  great  problems  he  had 
to  decide,  the  worry  of  constant  importunity,  the  quarrels 
of  officers  of  the  army,  the  care,  anxiety,  and  respon- 
sibility of  his  position,  wore  upon  his  vigorous  frame. 


90  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

"His  friends  and  his  family,  and  especially  Mrs. 
Lincoln,  watched  his  careworn  and  anxious  face  with 
the  greatest  solicitude,  she  and  they  sometimes  took 
him  from  his  labors  almost  in  spite  of  himself.  He 
walked  and  rode  about  Washington  and  its  picturesque 
surroundings.  He  visited  the  hospitals,  and,  with  his 
friends,  and  in  conversation,  and  visits  to  the  theatre, 
he  sought  to  divert  his  mind  from  the  pressure  upon 
it.  He  often  rode  with  Secretary  Seward,  with  Senator 
Sumner,  and  others.  But  his  greatest  relief  was  when 
he  was  visited  by  his  old  Illinois  friends,  and  for  a 
while,  by  anecdotes  and  reminiscences  of  the  past,  his 
mind  was  beguiled  from  the  constant  strain  upon  it. 
These  old  friends  were  sometimes  shocked  with  the 
change  in  his  appearance.  They  had  known  him  at  his 
home  and  at  the  courts  in  Illinois,  with  a  frame  of 
iron  and  nerves  of  steel;  as  a  man  who  hardly  knew 
what  illness  was,  ever  genial  and  sparkling  with  frolic 
and  fun,  nearly  always  cheery  and  bright.  Now,  as 
the  months  of  the  war  went  slowly  on,  they  saw  the 
wrinkles  on  his  face  and  forehead  deepen  into  furrows, 
the  laugh  of  old  days  was  less  frequent,  and  it  did  not 
seem  to  come  from  the  heart.  Anxiety,  responsibility, 
care,  thought,  disasters,  defeats,  the  injustice  of  friends, 
wore  upon  his  giant  frame,  and  his  nerves  of  steel 
became  at  times  irritable.  He  said  one  day,  with  a 
pathos  which  language  cannot  describe:  4I  feel  as 
though  I  shall  never  be  glad  any  more.'  " 

Mr.  Lincoln's  own  estimate  of  the  hardships  of  his 
presidency  is  the  comparison  he  made  to  General  Schenck: 

"If  to  be  the  head  of  Hell  is  as  hard  as  what  I  have  to 
undergo  here,  I  could  find  it  in  my  heart  to  pity  Satan 
himself."  ' 

President  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  were  attendants  of  the 
New  York  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church,  and  had  a 
special  pew.  The  pastor  was  the  Rev.  Phineas  D. 
Gurley,  D.D. 


1  Helen  Nicolay.     Our  Capital  on  the  Potomac. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital         91 

In  the  Oldroyd  collection  is  the  last  writing  by  Mr. 
Lincoln.  Mr.  Oldroyd  says  that  when  Mr.  Lincoln  was 
about  to  leave  the  Executive  Mansion  and  enter  the 
carriage  for  the  theatre  he  was  asked  for  passes.  He 
wrote : 

"No  pass  is  necessary  now  to  authorize  any  one  to 
go  to  or  return  from  Petersburg  or  Richmond. 

"People  go  and  return  just  as  they  did  before  the 
war. 

"A.  Lincoln." 


IV.  The  Assassination 

Assassination  was  in  the  air.  Thomas  Clemons  was 
apprehended  on  an  affidavit  that  he  made  admission  he 
came  from  Alexandria  on  the  Inauguration  Day,  1865, 
to  kill  the  President  and  arrived  one  hour  too  late  and 
asseverated  he  would  be  doing  a  national  benefit  to  rid  of 
such  a  tyrant.1 

The  Hon.  Charles  A.  Dana,  at  the  time  Assistant 
Secretary  of  War,  says  that  Mr.  Lincoln  received  a 
great  many  communications  bearing  on  assassination. 
That  when  he  handed  to  Mr.  Lincoln  two  letters  picked 
up  in  a  Third  Avenue  car,  New  York,  he  seemed  to  attach 
to  them  little  importance.  In  fact,  he  attached  special 
importance;  and  after  the  tragedy,  in  his  desk  was  found 
an  envelope  marked  in  his  own  handwriting  "Assassina- 
tion," in  which  were  the  two  letters.' 

John  Wilkes  Booth  starred  in  the  City  of  Washing- 
ton, April  11,  1863.  He  was  the  son  of  Junius  Brutus 
Booth,  accepted  as  the  greatest  of  American  tragedians. 
All  the  local  newspapers  gave  him  extravagant  encomium. 
From  the  Intelligencer,  May  8,  1863,  is: 

"This  evening  J.  Wilkes  Booth  takes  his  farewell 
benefit  and  will  appear  in  Shakespeare's  great  tragedy 
of  Macbeth  *  *  *  We  have  no  hesitancy  in  pro- 
nouncing him  the  most  promising  actor  of  the  age. 

May  9.  "We  never  witnessed  a  finer  piece  of  acting 
than  Booth's  scene  with   the  brilliant  lady  of  his  love 

*  *  *  In  the  poetical  and  Napoleonic  character 
of  Claude  Melnotte  we  think  Booth  is  the  handsomest 
youthful   figure    on   the  American   stage     *      *      *     In 


1  The  Evening  Star,  March  8,  1865. 
'Proceedings  of  a  Military  Commission. 


92 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital         93 

conclusion,  we  have  only  to  say  that  this  young  actor 
plays  not  from  stage  rule  but  from  his  soul,  and  his 
soul  is  inspired  with  genius.  Genius  is  its  own  school- 
master; it  can  be  cultivated  but  not  created  on  earth." 

This  is  a  quotation  from  Thomas  Seaton  Donoho's 
poem  on  the  Hundredth  Night  at  Ford's,  December  21, 
1863.1  In  the  poem  two  actors,  Booth  and  Hackett, 
have  mention. 

"Yet  other  Stars — Stars  masculine  and  great! 

One  a  light  Star,  one  of  amazing  weight; 
One  known  as  Booth,  a  synonym  for  fame — 

A  rising  star,  that  shall  attain  its  aim. 
The  other,  Falstaff !  lover  he  of  'sack' ; 

Valiant  'Sir  John',  and  very  merry  'Jack'. 

Booth's  last  appearance  was  at  Ford's,  March  18, 
1865,  in  The  Apostate  as  Pescara.  It  was  the  benefit  of 
John  McCullough. 

Booth    had   met   with    severe    disappointment.      His 
career  as  a  theatrical  manager  was  brief.2     In  a  specula- 
tion in  oil  lands  he  had  lost  about  all  of  his  savings.8 
To  these  misfortunes  affecting  his  mind,  was  the  brood- 
ing over  a  cause  that  was  losing  and  inevitably  to  be  lost. 

That  Booth  had  in  mind  a  crime  is  proven  by  the  fact 
he  had  his  friend  John  McCullough,  spirit  his  trunk  into 
Canada,  where  was  a  Confederate  clique.  That  the 
crime  intended  was  abduction  appears  from  a  signed 
paper  in  the  packet  left  with  his  brother-in-law,  the  actor, 
John  Sleeper  Clarke. 

, ,  1864. 


cc 

» 

*f*  H*  *l*  1*  *l*  *l* 


"I  have  ever  held  the  South  were  right.     The  very 
nomination  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  four  years  ago,  spoke 

1  Ford's    New    Theatre.      Erected    1863;    opened    August    27,    1863. 

John  T.  Ford,  Proprietor  and  Manager. 
'Records  of  Columbia  Historical  Society,  Vol.  21  p. 217. 
"Proceedings  of  a   Military  Commission. 


94  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

plainly   of  war — war   upon    Southern    rights    and   insti- 
tutions. 

"My  love  (as  things  stand  today)  is  for  the  South 
alone.  Nor  do  I  deem  it  a  dishonor  in  attempting  to 
make  for  her  a  prisoner  of  this  man,  to  whom  she  owes 
so  much  misery."1 

The  Evening  Star,  April  14: 

"Last  night  Washington  was  ablaze  with  glory,  The 
heavens  seemed  to  have  come  down,  and  the  stars  twin- 
kled in  a  sort  of  faded  way,  as  if  the  solar  system  was 
out  of  order,  and  earth  had  become  the  great  luminary. 
Everybody  illuminated.  Every  flag  was  flung  out,  win- 
dows were  gay  with  many  devices,  and  gorgeous  lanterns 
danced  on  their  ropes  along  the  walls  in  a  fantastic  way, 
as  if  the  fairies  were  holding  holiday  inside." 

The  illumination  expressed  the  joy  that  the  surrender 
to  the  people  gave.  It  to  Booth  gave  the  chagrin  of 
defeat.  It  wrought  in  Booth,  the  spirit  which  craved 
revenge.  Booth  was  of  a  family  of  actors,  tragedians. 
With  the  thought  to  assassinate  came  the  whisper  that 
on  the  enduring  pages  he  might  be  a  Brutus.  "Beware 
the  ides  of  March"  ran  in  his  mind  before  the  murder; 
and  he  of  it  begins  in  his  diary,  "April  13-14,  Friday 
The  Ides." 

Booth  about  to  engage  in  an  undertaking  of  desperate 
risk,  as  he  could  but  know,  at  once  put  his  house  in  order. 
That  for  him  was  a  message,  a  farewell  in  all  probability 
to  his  mother. 

"Mrs.  M.  A.  Booth. 

"No.  28  East  Nineteenth  Street,  New  York,  N.  Y." 

"April  14-2  A.M. 
"Dearest  Mother: 

"I  know  you  expect  a  letter  from  me,  and  am  sure  you 
will  hardly  forgive  me.     But  indeed  I  have  nothing  to 


1  In  full  in  Evening  Star,  April  20,  1865. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital  95 

write  about.  Everything  is  dull;  that  is,  had  been  till 
last  night.  (The  illumination)  Everything  was  bright  and 
splendid.  More  so  in  my  eyes  if  it  had  been  in  a  nobler 
cause.  But  so  goes  the  world.  Might  makes  right.  I 
only  drop  you  these  few  lines  to  let  you  know  I  am  well, 
and  to  say  I  have  not  heard  from  you.  Excuse  brevity; 
am  in  haste.  Had  one  from  Rose.1  With  best  love  to 
you  all,  I  am  your  affectionate  son  ever 

"John." 

Booth  after  the  illumination  did  not  return  to  his 
quarters  says  Walter  Burton,  the  clerk  of  the  National 
Hotel.2  " 

The  President  had  been  invited  to  attend  the  theatre 
and  on  the  forenoon  of  the  14th,  at  10:30  o'clock,  a 
messenger  came  with  the  information  of  his  acceptance. 
Mr.  Lincoln  had  previously  seen  Miss  Keene  in  the 
American  Cousin.*  The  business  manager,  James  R. 
Ford,  besides  a  Special  Notice,  had  inserted  in  the  Even- 
ing Star  in  the  City  Items : 

"Ford's  Theater.  'Honor  to  our  Soldiers.'  A  new  and 
Patriotic  Song  and  Chorus  has  been  written  by  Mr.  H.  B. 
Phillips6  and  will  be  sung  this  evening  by  the  Entire 
Company  to  do  honor  to  Lieutenant  General  Grant  and 
President  Lincoln  and  Lady,  who  visit  the  Theatre  in 
compliment  to   Miss  Laura   Keene,   whose  benefit   and 

1  Rosalie  Ann — maiden  sister. 

2  The  Sunday  Star,  January  24,  1909: 

"Thursday  night  Washington  was  wild  over  Grant's  coming.  There 
were  torchlight  processions,  bands,  yelling,  and  singing  and  cheering 
and  a  general  hurrah. 

"Most  people  stayed  up  very  late — many  were  up  all  night;  I  guess 
Davy  Herold  hadn't  been  to  bed  at  all,  for  Friday  morning  as  I  was 
going  off  duty  I  met  him  in  the  hall.  'Going  to  see  Booth?  I  asked.  He 
said  he  was.  Well  I  don't  believe  he's  in,  I  told  him;  he  didn't  come  to 
the  desk  for  his  key.  But  I  got  a  chambermaid  to  open  the  door  of 
Booth's  room — 228 — with  a  pass  key.  The  bed  was  untouched.  I  never 
saw  Booth  again." 

B  Movements  of  Booth,  April  14,  1865,  in  New  York  Tribune,  April 
17,   1865. 

*  February  9,  1864.    Also  in  Sea  of  Ice.    February  8,  1864. 

5  Quoted   in  Oldroyd's   Assassination  of  Lincoln. 


96  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

last  appearance  is  announced  in  the  bills  of  the  day. 
The  music  of  the  above  song  is  composed  by  Prof.  W. 
Withers,  Jr." 

About  half  past  eleven  o'clock,  April  14,  James  R. 
Ford,  the  brother  of  Harry  Clay  Ford,  informed  Booth 
that  the  President  was  coming  that  evening.  About 
noon  as  he  approached  the  theatre  to  get  his  mail  a 
remark  was  made  by  Harry  Clay  Ford,  "Here  comes 
the  handsomest  man  in  the  United  States  and  one  of  the 
most  lovable. "  Harry  Chapman  Ford,  his  son,  says 
"During  the  colloquy  when  my  father  told  Booth  of  the 
coming  visit  of  the  President  to  the  evening  performance, 
he,  in  jest,  to  tease  Booth's  ego,  knowing  his  sympathies 
for  the  South,  also  mentioned  that  they  would  'Have 
Jeff  Davis  and  Bob  Lee  handcuffed  and  shackled  in  the 
opposite  box.'  My  father  always  considered  this  thought- 
less and  boyish  jest  hurried  Booth  to  a  quicker  line 
of  action."1 

Booth's  letters  went  to  Mr.  Ford's  P.  O.  box.  This 
forenoon  he  read  the  letter  received  on  the  theatre  steps. 
He  remained  there  a  short  while  in  thought  and  then 
departed. 

Booth  strolled  back  and  forth  on  the  Avenue  during 
the  afternoon.  He  stopped  at  the  Kirkwood  House  and 
sent  a  card  to  Vice  President  Johnson  which  was  not 
delivered. 

"Don't  wish  to  disturb  you;  are  you  at  home? 

J.  Wilkes  Booth."2 

Later  he  met  his  acquaintance,  John  Mathews.  While 
they  talked  Mathews  called  Booth's  attention  to  the 
fact  that  General  Grant  was  passing  by. 

The  day  previous  to  the  assassination  Booth  came  to 


1  Harry  Chapman  Ford  to  the  writer,   March   10,    1923. 
a  Proceedings  of  a  Military  Commission. 


TlIK   LIFE  OF   LAURA    KKKXE. 

FORD'S     THEATRE 

Tenth  Street,  Above  E. 


SEASON    II  WEEK    XXXI  NIGHT   191 

Whole  Number  of  Nights,  495. 

JOHN   T.    FORD        .         .        .         Proprietor   and  Manager 

(Also  of  Holliday  St.  Theatre,  Baltimore,  and  Academy  Music,  Phila.) 
Stage  Manager J.  B.  WRIGHT  |  Treasurer II.  CLAY  FORD 

FRIDAY    EVENING,  APRIL    14,    18«i5 

THIS     EVENING 
The  performance  will   be  honored  by  the  presence  of 

PRESIDENT    LINCOLN 


BENEFIT  and   LAST   NIGHT  of 
MISS    LAURA    KEENE 

The   distinguished   Manageress,    Authoress,    and   Actress.      Supported   by 
MR.  JOHN   DYOTT  and  MR.   HARRY   HAWK 


TOM  TAYLOR'S  CELEBRATED  ECCENTRIC  COMEDY 

As  originally  produced  in  America  by  Miss  Keene,  and  performed  by  her 

Upwards  of  ONE  THOUSAND  NIGHTS,  entitled  ' 

OUR  AMERICAN   COUSIN 

Florence  Trbnchard MISS  LAURA   KEENE 

(Her  Original  Character.) 

Abel  Murcott,  Clerk  to  Attorney  ]  John  Whicker, a  gardener  .  J.L.  DeBonay 

J  (MIX  DYOTT  !  Rasper,  a  groom 

AsaTkehchard  .    .    .  HARRY  HAWK  !  Bailiffs 

Sir  Edward Trenchard  .  T.  C.  GOURLAY  G.  A.  Pakkhurst  and  L.  Johnson 

Lord  Dundreary   .   .   .   .  E.  A.  Emerson     Mary  Trenchard        Miss  J.  L.  Gourlay 
Mr.  Coyle,  Attorney  ...  J.  Matthews     Mrs.  Mountchessington  .  Mrs.  H.  Hczzy 

Lieut.  Vernon,  R.  N.  .    .  W.  J.  FERGUSON     Augusta. Miss  H.  Trukmav 

Captain  De  Boots C.  Byrnes  !  Georgiana Miss  M.  Hart 

Binney G.  ('•.  .Speak     Stiarpe Mrs.  J.  H.  Evans 

Buddicomb,  a  valet    .   .    .    .  J.  H..  Evans  i  Skillet Miss  M.  Goitrlay 


Saturday    Evening,  April   15, 

BENEFIT   OF    MISS    JENNIE    GOURLAY 

When  will   l>e  presented  BOUCICAULTS  Great  Sensational  Drama, 

THE     OCTOROON 


Easter  Monday,  April   17,  Engagement  of  the 
YOUNG  AMERICAN  TF! AGKDIAN 

EDWIN     ADAMS 

For  Twelve  Nights  only 


THE    PRICES   OF    ADMISSION: 

Orchestra SI  I  Family  Circle ■  .      25 

Diuas  Circle  an-d  Paiujuette  .   .      75  1  Private  Boxes $(i  and  $10 

J.   R.   FORD,   Business   Manager. 


H.   I'olkiuborn  and  Son,  Printers,  D  Street,  near  7th,  Washington,   I).  C. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital         97 

the  Grovcr's 1  Theatre  (now  the  National)  while  the 
manager,  C.  D.  Hess,  and  the  prompter  were  engaged 
in  reading  a  manuscript.  He  took  a  seat  and  entered 
into  conversation.  He  led  to  the  subject  of  the  intended 
illumination  and  then  asked  "Are  you  going  to  invite 
the  President?"  The  manager  replied  "Yes;  that 
reminds  me  I  must  send  that  invitation."  And  for  the 
evening  of  the  14th,  as  customary,  he  sent  an  invitation 
to  Mrs.  Lincoln.2 

General  Grant  left  the  city  early  in  the  evening.  Mrs. 
Lincoln  was  indisposed,  Mr.  Lincoln  was  reluctant  to  go; 
and  he  and  she  went  because  the  newspapers  had  so  an- 
nounced and  they  wished  to  save  the  audience  entire 
disappointment.  Schuyler  Colfax  was  at  the  Executive 
Mansion  when  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  started.  He 
declined  to  accompany  them.3  Maj.  Rathbone  with  Miss 
Harris  went  to  the  Executive  Mansion.  The  Presidential 
party — Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lincoln,  Maj.  Rathbone  and  Miss 
Harris — went  in  the  President's  carriage.  It  arrived 
late.  Upon  appearance  of  the  party  in  the  box,  the 
performance  was  arrested;  the  band  played  Hail  to  the 
Chief!;  the  audience  rose  and  cheered;  Mr.  Lincoln 
heartily  bowed  in  acknowledgment. 

Miss  Clara  H.  Harris  was  the  daughter  of  Hon.  Ira 
Harris,  U.  S.  Senator,  N.  Y.  Senator  Harris  occupied 
the  property,  which  he  owned,  at  the  corner  of  H  and 
Fifteenth  streets,  where  is  the  Woodward  Building. 
Major  Henry  R.  Rathbone  married  Miss  Harris.  Their 
son,  the  Hon.  Henry  R.  Rathbone  is  at  this  writing  a 
Representative  at  large  for  Illinois. 

It  is  remarkable  how  closely  Booth  was  watched,  out 


1  Leonard  Grover. 

2  Proceedings  of   a   Military  Commission. 
3L.  A.  Gobright. 


98  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

and  in  the  theatre,  watched  with  curiosity  verging  on 
suspicion.  Sergeant  Joseph  M.  Dye,  a  military  guard, 
writes: 

Washington,  D.  C.  April  15,  1865. 
Dear  Father: 

"With  sorrow  I  pen  these  lines.  The  death  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  has  deeply  affected  me;  and  why  shouldn't 
it,  when  I  might  have  saved  his  precious  life? 

"I  was  standing  in  front  of  the  Theatre  when  two 
assassins  were  conversing.  I  heard  part  of  their  con- 
versation; it  was  not  sufficiently  plain  for  an  outsider  to 
understand  the  true  meaning  of  it;  yet  it  apprised  Sergt. 
Cooper  and  myself  that  they  were  anxious  that  the 
President  should  come  out  to  his  carriage  which  was 
standing  just  behind  us.  The  second  act  would  soon 
end  and  they  expected  he  would  come  out  then.  I  stood 
awhile  between  them  and  the  carriage,  with  my  revolvers 
ready  for  I  began  to  suspect  them.  The  act  ended,  but 
the  President  did  not  appear;  so  Booth  went  into  a 
restaurant  and  took  a  drink;  then  came  out  and  went 
into  the  alley  where  his  horse  was  standing,  though  I 
did  not  know  that  any  horse  was  there.  He  came  back 
and  whispered  to  the  other  rascal,  then  stepped  into  the 
Theatre!"1 

Interview  with  James  P.  Ferguson  in  the  Evening  Star, 
April  17,  1865: 

"When  the  second  scene  of  the  third  act  of  the  play 
was  reached,  Mr.  Ferguson  saw  (and  recognized)  John 
Wilkes  Booth  making  his  way  along  the  dress  circle  to 
the  President's  box.  Of  this  box  Mr.  Ferguson  had  an 
excellent  view,  being  seated  in  the  dress  circle  just  oppo- 
site to  it,  next  to  the  private  boxes  on  the  other  side  of 
the  circle. 

"Booth  stopped  two  steps  from  the  door,  took  off 
his  hat,  and  holding  it  in  his  left  hand  leaned  against 
the  wall  behind  him.  In  this  attitude  he  remained  for 
half  a  minute;  then,  added  Mr.   Ferguson,  he  stepped 

1  The  Richmond  Whig,  April  25,   1865. 


DIAGRAM   OF   THE  STAGE. 

The  above  is  a  diagram  of  the-  stag,',  with  properties,  as  it  stood  at  the  time  of  the  aasas- 

natiun. 

The  number  of  persons  required  upon  the  stage  during  the  performance  is  as  follows:  19 
'i>  carpenter,  1  assistant  stage  carpenter, -1  property 
ompter,  making  a  total  of  'JO  persons  passing  and 
passages  and  green-room  which  connects  with  the 


actors  ami  actresses,  4  scene-shifters,  ! 
repassing  upon   the  stage  and  through 


>y  the  passage  through  which  the  assassin  passed. 

•<!,"  (Mr.  Harry  Huwk.) 


11—  Mia*  Lai 

>.<  K,- 

V 

Tt—Gai  Man 

K-  M.ol"  M: 
F— Mr.  Win 

\\1thl 

Mr.  W 
»,  Jr., 

r  it'll  t.) 
Leader 

of  Orch 

str.t.) 

I—  First  «een 

2-S.f,.,,,,!  •• 
3-Iii.X  of  IT 

"siJent 

'X. 

6-Rntranoe 
7-Fir»t«uti 

to  paana£<\ 
mm  Upright. 

0—  Fourth 
1— Bacfc  dour 

to  alic 

r. 

by  12  ft.,  3  feet  deep.) 


,.*„'",.,    "'""'  to  n'st''"  ,ir,or>  <3ft-  61n-  from 
liT-Toru  place  in  carpet,  (two  feet  from  lower  bos.) 


Diagram  of  Stage  at  Time  of  Assassination 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital         99 

down  one  step,  put  his  hand  on  the  door  of  the  little  cor- 
ridor leading  to  the  box,  bent  his  knee  against  it,  the  door 
opened  and  Booth  entered,  and  was  for  a  time  hidden 
from  Mr.  F's  sight. 

"Mr.  F.  watched  for  his  appearance  in  the  box, 
desiring  to  see  who  in  that  party  the  actor  could  be 
on  such  intimate  terms  with,  as  to  feel  warranted  in 
taking  such  a  liberty.  Whether  Booth  shut  the  door 
of  the  little  corridor  or  left  it  open  behind  him  Mr.  F. 
fears  to  state  positively;  but  what  he  observed  at  the 
door  and  for  reasons  hereinafter  stated,  he  believes  he 
did  shut  it.  The  shot  was  the  next  thing  Mr.  F.  remem- 
bers. He  saw  the  smoke,  then  perceived  Booth  stand- 
ing  upright  with  both  hands  raised,  but  at  that  moment 
saw  no  weapon  or  anything  else  in  either.  Booth  then 
sprang  to  the  front  of  the  box,  laid  his  left  hand  on 
the  railing  in  front,  was  checked  an  instant,  evidently 
by  his  coat  or  pants  being  caught  in  something,  or  held 
back  by  somebody.     (It  was  Major  Rathbone.) 

"A  post  in  front  obstructed  the  view  of  Mr.  Fergu- 
son, but  Booth  soon  changed  his  position,  and  again 
was  clearly  seen  by  Mr.  F.  He  now  had  a  knife  in  his 
right  hand  which  he  also  laid  upon  the  railing,  as  he 
already  had  his  left,  and  vaulted  out.  As  his  legs  passed 
between  the  folds  of  the  flags  decorating  the  box,  his 
spur,  which  he  wore  on  his  right  heel,  caught  the  dra- 
pery and  brought  it  down,  tearing  a  strip  with  it.  When 
he  let  go  the  railing,  he  still  clutched  the  shining  knife. 
He  crouched  as  he  fell,  falling  on  one  knee,  and  putting 
forth  both  hands  to  help  himself  to  recover  an  erect 
position  which  he  did  with  the  rapidity  and  easy  agility 
of  an  athlete. 

"Having  recovered  his  equilibrium,  Booth  strode 
across  the  stage  to  the  first  entrance,  passing  the  actor 
on  the  stage,  (Harry  Hawk).  When  he  reached  the 
other  side  of  the  stage,  just  ere  he  became  invisible  by 
passing  into  the  entrance,  he  looked  up,  and  Mr.  F.  said 
he  heard  him  say  'I  have  done  it,'  and  then  lost  sight 
of  him. 


100       Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

"When  the  shot  had  been  fired,  Miss  Harris  rose  to 
her  feet  to  call  for  water  for  Mr.  Lincoln."1 

Harry  Hawk  to  his  father,  William  J.  Hawk,  254 
State  Street,  Chicago,  111. 

"Washington,  Sunday,  April  16. 

uThis  is  the  first  opportunity  I  have  had  to  write  to 
you  since  the  assassination  of  our  dear  President  on 
Friday  night,  as  I  have  been  in  custody  nearly  ever  since. 
I  was  one  of  the  principal  witnesses  of  that  sad  affair, 
being  the  only  one  on  the  stage  at  the  time  of  the  fatal 
shot. 

"I  was  playing  'Asa  Trenchard',  in  the  American 
Cousin.  The  'old  lady'  of  the  theatre  had  just  gone  off 
the  stage,  and  I  was  answering  her  exit  speech  when  I 
heard  the  shot  fired.  I  turned,  looked  up  at  the  Presi- 
dent's box,  heard  the  man  exclaim,  'Sic  semper  tyrannis', 
saw  him  jump  from  the  box,  seize  the  flag  on  the  staff 
and  drop  to  the  stage;  he  slipped  when  he  gained  the 
stage,  but  he  got  upon  his  feet  in  a  moment,  brandished 
a  large  knife,  saying,  'The  South  shall  be  free!',  turned 
his  face  in  the  direction  I  stood  and  I  recognized  him 
as  John  Wilkes  Booth.  He  ran  towards  me,  and  I  see- 
ing the  knife,  thought  I  was  the  one  he  was  after,  ran 
off  the  stage  and  up  a  flight  of  stairs.  He  made  his 
escaped  out  of  a  door,  directly  in  the  rear  of  the  theatre, 
mounted  a  horse  and  rode  off. 

"The  above  all  occurred  in  the  space  of  a  quarter  of  a 
minute,  and  at  the  time  I  did  not  know  that  the  Presi- 
dent was  shot,  although  if  I  had  tried  to  stop  him  he 
would  have  stabbed  me. 

"On  that  night  the  play  was  going  off  so  well.     Mr. 

1  Other  accounts: 

Anonymous,  The  Evening  Star,  April  15,  1865. 

Capt.  Theodore  McGowan,  A.  A.  G.,  New  York   Tribune,  April 

17,  1865. 
William  Withers,  The  Evening  Star,  September  20,  1901. 
Walter  Burton,   The  Sunday  Star,  January  24,   1909. 
Daniel  Ballauf,   The  Sunday  Star,  November  5,   1911. 
Myron  M.  Parker,  The  Washington  Post,  February  19,  1917. 
W.  J.  Ferguson,  The  Independent,  April  4,  1895. 
Louis   Kettler,   Atlantic  Illustrated  Service,   1924. 


—  1/1         MH 

en 

S    ~    ^ 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        101 

and  Mrs.  Lincoln  enjoyed  it  so  much.  She  was  laughing 
at  my  speech  when  the  shot  was  fired.  In  fact  it  was 
one  laugh  from  the  time  the  curtain  went  up  until  it  fell, 
and  to  think  of  such  a  sorrowful  ending!  It  is  an  era 
in  my  life  that  I  shall  never  forget.  Inclosed  is  a  piece 
of  the  fringe  of  the  flag  the  President  was  holding  when 
shot.', 

A  resume  of  the  accounts  of  the  witnesses  follows. 
The  witnesses  saw  from  different  directions.  Seeming 
contradictions  and  inconsistencies  in  the  accounts  disap- 
pear when  placed  together  in  mosaic.  In  the  resume 
slight  attempt  is  made  to  make  a  narrative  of  exact 
sequence. 

The  State  Box  was  the  upper  box  on  the  south  side 
of  the  theatre.  It  was  made  of  two  boxes — the  parti- 
tion being  movable.  It  fronted  almost  entirely  on  the 
side  of  the  stage.  The  President  sat  in  the  left  hand 
corner  of  the  box,  with  Mrs.  Lincoln  at  his  right.  Miss 
Harris  was  in  the  right  hand  corner,  Major  Rathbone 
sitting  back  at  her  left  almost  in  the  corner  of  the  box.1 
Booth  handed  or  showed  his  card  to  the  President's 
messenger.2  He  entered  the  narrow  passage  at  the  rear 
of  the  box  and  adjusted  the  plank  which  prevented 
access  from  the  outside.  One  end  of  which  was  secured 
in  the  wall  and  the  other  braced  against  the  door. 
Booth  quickly  fired  at  the  back  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  head; 
and  exclaimed  "Sic  semper  tyrannis!"  At  the  moment 
the  President  was  shot  he  was  holding  the  flag  which 
decorated  the  box  aside,  and  between  it  and  the  post 
was  looking  down  on  General  Burnside  who  was  taking 
a  seat  in  the  orchestra.  A  witness  saw  the  flash  of  the 
pistol  in  the  back  of  the  box.3     Major  Rathbone  seized 


1  Proceedings  of   a  Military  Commission. 
a  Capt.    Theodore    McGowan. 
3  James  P.  Ferguson. 


102        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

Booth  who  wrested  himself  free  and  inflicted  upon  the 
Major  a  severe  cut  on  the  arm  with  a  long  knife. 
Booth  dropped  the  pistol.  Booth  rushed  to  the  front 
as  Major  Rathbone  again  attempted  to  seize  him.  As 
Booth  vaulted  over  Major  Rathbone  cried,  "Stop  that 
man !  Won't  somebody  stop  that  man  !m  A  moment 
after  Miss  Harris  heard  from  the  stage  "What  is  it? 
What  is  the  matter?"  to  which  she  replied,  "the  Presi- 
dent is  shot."1  It  is  stated  by  a  witness  that  he  heard 
the  exclamation  "Sic  semper  tyrannis"  before  the 
appearance  of  the  assassin.2 

Mrs.  Mountches  sing  ton  had  left  the  stage  with  the 
rebuke  to  Asa  Trenchard  "You  are  not  used  to  the 
manners  of  good  society";  and  the  latter  was  solilo- 
quizing "Well  I  guess  I  know  enough  to  turn  you 
inside  out,  old  gal — you  sockdologizing  old  man-trap."* 

Booth  crossed  the  stage  some  feet  in  front  of 
Harry  Hawk,  passed  between  Miss  Keene  and  W.  J. 
Ferguson,  standing  in  the  passage  near  the  prompt 
entrance;  rushed  past  Withers,  the  orchestra  leader, 
who  was  on  his  way  to  the  stairs  close  by  the  back 
door;  and  as  Withers  stood,  stock-still,  Booth  struck 
at  him  with  the  knife,  knocking  him  down;  made  a 
rush  for  the  door  and  was  gone.4 

Major  Rathbone  saw  that  Mr.  Lincoln  was  uncon- 
scious and  he  supposed  him  to  be  mortally  wounded. 
He  hastened  to  the  door  for  the  purpose  of  calling 
for  medical  aid.  It  was  with  considerable  effort  that 
he  removed  the  barrier  to  the  door.  At  it  were  those 
clamoring  to  get  in.5 

Miss  Keene  made  an  attempt  to  calm  the  audience. 


1  Miss  Clara  A.  Harris. 

'John  Deveny. 

"Daniel  Miller  DeWitt:     Assassination  of  Lincoln. 

*  Clara  E.  Laughlin:    The  Death  of  Lincoln. 

6  Proceedings  of  a  Military  Commission. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        103 

Then  she  rushed  to  Mr.  Lincoln.  When  the  Major 
returned  from  the  door,  he  found  Miss  Keene,  sup- 
porting Mr.  Lincoln's  head;1  Dr.  Charles  S.  Taft, 
a  druggist,  a  naval  surgeon  and  a  soldier  of  the 
Veteran  Reserve  Corps  who  had  clambered  from  the 
stage — the  latter  two  with  the  assistance  of  Miss 
Harris. 

Joseph  B.  Stewart  testified  before  the  Military 
Commission.  His  account  is  graphic  and  particular. 
Booth  came  down  with  his  back  slightly  turned  toward 
the  audience  but  rising  and  turning  his  face  came  in 
full  view.  Mr.  Stewart  who  sat  in  the  front  row  of 
the  orchestra  dashed  upon  the  stage  and  pursued  the 
assassin;  three  times  calling  out,  "Stop  that  manl" 
Mr.  Stewart  was  in  the  alley,  all  but  up  to  the  horse 
(with  the  rider)  in  its  evolutions  before  starting;  and 
he  followed  forty  or  fifty  yards.2 

Major  Rathbone  testified:  "In  a  review  of  the 
transactions,  it  is  my  confident  belief  that  the  time 
which  elapsed  between  the  discharge  of  the  pistol 
and  the  time  when  the  assassin  leaped  from  the  box 
did  not  exceed  thirty  seconds."3 

It  is  a  contention  whether  Booth  tripped  on  the  flag 
or  on  the  portrait.  Mr.  Gobright's  explanation  can 
please   all   contestants. 

"It  was  subsequently  ascertained  that  when  the 
assassin  (Booth)  jumped  from  the  theatre-box  to  the 
stage,    his    spur    struck    the    frame    of    a    portrait    of 

a  George  Alfred  Townsend:    The  Life,  Crime  and  Capture  of  John 
Wilkes   Booth. 

*  Mr.  Stewart  was  a  lawyer.    He  was  a  heavy  man  with  a  moustache. 

He  looked  good-natured  and  talked  belligerently.  My  father 
took  me  with  him  to  visit  Mr.  Stewart  in  the  basement  of  the  U.  S. 
Capitol.  He  was  incarcerated  as  a  recalcitrant  witness  in  a 
Congressional  inquiry.    He  said  he  would  not  testify  and  he  did  not 

*  Proceedings  of  a  Military  Commission. 


104       Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

Washington,  used  as  a  decoration  beneath  the  balus- 
trade of  the  box,  and  also  tore  the  festooned  flag. 
Lower  down,  his  spur  scraped  the  ledge  of  the  stage 
box  beneath." 

The  flag  is  encased  in  the  corridor  of  the  Treasury 
Department. 

Mr.  Lincoln  was  borne  to  a  residence  across  the 
street.  Major  Rathbone  at  first,  and  after  with  the 
help  of  Major  Porter,  assisted  Mrs.  Lincoln  to  the 
same  place. 

Of  those  who  witnessed  the  assassination  and 
happily  survive  although  nearly  sixty  years  intervene 
are  Colonel  Otto  J.  Downing  of  Dixon,  111., — he  was 
of  the  five  who  bore  Mr.  Lincoln  across  the  street — 
Louis  Kettler,  Myron  M.  Parker,  Henry  B.  Polkinhorn 
and  Mrs.  Beekman  DuBarry,  all  of  the  City  of  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.  Mr.  Kettler  is  the  sole  survivor  of  the 
Lincoln  bodyguard,  March  4,  1861. 

The  more  material  parts  of  the  letter  of  James 
Suydam  Knox  to  his  father  here  are  given.  It  is 
nearly  in  full  in  the  Washington  Post,  February  12, 
1917.  Young  Knox  was  a  graduate  of  the  Princeton 
University  and  the  letter  is,  or  was,  in  its  possession. 

"Sunday,  April  16— 

"Dear  Father: 

"It  is  with  sad  feelings  that  I  take  up  my  pen  to 
address  you.  Last  Friday  night  at  10  o'clock  I  wit- 
nessed the  saddest  tragedy  ever  enacted  in  this  country. 
Notwithstanding  my  promise  to  you  not  to  visit  the 
theater,  I  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  see  Gen. 
Grant  and  the  President,  and  when  the  curtain  at 
Ford's  arose  on  the  play  of  'Our  American  Cousin' 
my  roommate  and  I  were  seated  in  the  second  row  of 
orchestra  seats,  just  below  the  President's  box.  The 
President    entered    the    theatre    at    8.30    o'clock    amid 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        105 

deafening  cheers  and  the  rising  of  all.  Everything 
was  cheerful  and  never  was  our  Magistrate  more 
enthusiastically  welcomed  or  more  happy.  Many 
pleasant  allusions  were  made  to  him  in  the  play,  to 
which  the  audience  gave  deafening  response,  while 
Mr.  Lincoln  laughed  heartily  and  bowed  frequently 
to  the  gratified  people.  Just  after  the  third  act  and 
before  the  scenes  were  shifted  a  muffled  pistol  shot 
was  heard  and  a  man  sprung  wildly  from  the  national 
box,  partially  tearing  down  the  flag,  then  shouting, 
'Sic  semper  tyrannis!  the  South  is  avenged!'  with 
brandished  dagger  rushed  across  the  stage  and  dis- 
appeared.    The  whole  theater  was  paralyzed. 

"But  two  men  sprang  for  the  stage,  a  Mr.  Stewart 
and  myself.  Both  of  us  were  familiar  with  the  play 
and  suspected  the  fearful  tragedy.  We  rushed  after 
the  murderer,  and  Mr.  Stewart,  being  familiar  with 
the  passages,  reached  the  door  in  time  to  see  him 
spring  on  his  horse  and  ride  off.  I  became  lost  amid 
the  scenery  and  was  obliged  to  return.  My  roommate 
had  followed  me  and  secured  the  murderer's  hat. 
The  shrill  cry  of  'Murder!'  from  Mrs.  Lincoln  first 
roused  the  terrified  audience,  and  in  an  instant  the 
uproar  was  terrible.  The  silence  of  death  was  broken 
by  shouts  of  'Kill  him!'  'Hang  him!'  and  strong  men 
wept  and  cursed  and  tore  the  seats  in  the  impotence  of 
their  anger,  while  Mrs.  Lincoln,  on  her  knees,  uttered 
shriek  after  shriek  at  the  feet  of  the  dying  President. 
Finally  the  theatre  was  cleared  and  the  President 
removed. 

"Until  long  after  midnight  I  was  detained  at  the 
police  headquarters  giving  my  evidence,  and  when  I 
sought  my  rooms  in  a  distant  part  of  the  city,  dark 
clouds  had  gathered  in  the  heavens  and  soldiers 
sternly  passed  their  patrol." 

Walt  Whitman.  Death  of  Abraham  Lincoln. 
Lecture   delivered  in   New   York,   April    14,    1879. 

"Through  the  general  hum  following  the  stage 
pause,  with  the  change  of  positions  came  the  muffled 
sound   of    a    pistol-shot,    which    not    one-hundreth    part 


106       Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

of  the  audience  heard  at  the  time — and  yet  a  moment's 
hush  somehow,  surely,  a  vague  startled  thrill  and  then, 
through  the  ornamented,  draperied,  starred  and  striped 
spaceway  of  the  President's  box,  a  sudden  figure,  a 
man,  raises  himself  with  hands  and  feet,  stands  a 
moment  on  the  railing,  leaps  below  to  the  stage,  (a 
distance  of  perhaps  fourteen  or  fifteen  feet,)  falls 
out  of  position,  catching  his  boot  heel  in  the  copious 
drapery,  (the  American  flag,)  falls  on  one  knee, 
quickly  recovers  himself,  rises  as  if  nothing  had 
happen'd  (he  really  sprains  his  ankle,  but  unfelt  then) 
— and  so  the  figure,  Booth,  the  murderer,  dress'd  in 
plain,  black  broadcloth,  bareheaded,  with  full,  glossy 
raven  hair,  and  his  eyes  like  some  mad  animal's, 
flashing  with  light  and  resolution,  yet  with  a  certain 
strange  calmness,  holds  aloft  in  one  hand  a  large  knife — 
walks  along  not  much  back  from  the  footlights — 
turns  fully  toward  the  audience  his  face  of  statuesque 
beauty,  lit  by  those  basilisk  eyes,  flashing  with  des- 
peration, perhaps  insanity — launches  out  in  a  firm  and 
steady  voice  the  words  Sic  semper  tyrannis — and  then 
walks  with  neither  slow  nor  very  rapid  pace  diagonally 
across  to  the  back  of  the  stage  and  disappears. 

UA  moment's  hush — a  scream — the  cry  of  'murder' 
— Mrs.  Lincoln  leaning  out  of  the  box,  with  ashy 
cheeks  and  lips,  with  involuntary  cry,  pointing  to  the 
retreating  figure,  'He  has  kill'd  the  President/'  And 
still  a  moment's  strange  incredulous  suspense — and 
then  the  deluge ! — then  that  mixture  of  horror,  noises, 
uncertainty — (the  sound,  somewhere  back,  of  a  horse's 
hoofs  clattering  with  speed) — the  people  burst  through 
chairs  and  railings,  and  break  them  up — there  is  inex- 
tricable confusion  and  terror — women  faint — quite 
feeble  persons  fall,  and  are  trampled  on — many  cries  of 
agony  are  heard — the  broad  stage  suddenly  fills  to  suffo- 
cation with  a  dense  and  motley  crowd,  like  some 
horrible  carnival — the  audience  rush  generally  upon  it, 
at  least  the  strong  men  do — the  actors  and  actresses 
are  all  there  in  their  play  costumes  and  painted  faces, 
with    mortal    fright    showing    through    the    rouge — the 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        107 

screams  and  calls,  confused  talk — redoubled,  trebled — 
two  or  three  manage  to  pass  up  water  from  the  stage 
to  the  President's  box — others  try  to  clamber  up — 
etc.,   etc." 

Jeannie  Gourley 

^  "April  28,  1923. 
"L.  T.  McFadden,   Member  of  Congress: 
"Dear   Sir: 

"My  reason  for  writing  you  is  this:  I  played  that 
night  in  Ford's  Theater  when  Lincoln  was  assassinated. 
My  father,  Thomas  C.  Gourley,  also  played  that 
night,  and  a  sister,  Margaret  Gourley  and  I  had  two 
brothers  in  front  in  the  parquet.  I  have  always 
thought  that  John  Wilkes  Booth  selected  a  certain 
part  of  the  play  in  which  I  was  most  interested  to 
assassinate  Abraham  Lincoln.  The  scene  was  between 
Asa  Tranchard  and  Mary  Meredith,  the  part  I 
played.  The  time  was  about  10  o'clock.  Lincoln's 
bodyguard  had  left  the  private  box  and  was  sitting 
in  one  of  the  orchestra  chairs.  When  I  came  on  the 
stage  I  saw  Booth  standing  in  the  lobby.  *  *  *  He 
had  one  of  the  scene  shifters  with  him.  Red  Spangler, 
who  was  with  Booth  that  day,  preparing  the  box  by 
making  a  bar  of  wood  to  place  across  the  door  of  the 
box  to  prevent  anyone  from  getting  in  after  he  was 
there.  After  my  scene  was  over  I  went  up  the  stage 
and  it  was  closed  in. 

"I  was  standing  in  the  entrance  talking  with  Mr. 
Withers,  the  leader  of  the  orchestra,  when  I  heard  the 
shot,  not  knowing  what  it  was.  Then  I  saw  Booth 
coming  from  the  first  entrance  with  a  large  knife  in 
his  hand.  Mr.  Withers  had  his  back  to  him  and  did 
not  see  him.  Booth  slashed  him  with  the  knife, 
pushed  me  aside  and  went  out  the  back  door  into  the 
alley  and  rode  away.  Then  came  a  rush  of  the 
audience,  which  had  jumped  to  the  stage  to  follow 
Booth.  I  went  to  the  first  entrance  and  onto  the  stage 
to  find  that  Lincoln  had  been  shot.  Everything  was 
in  confusion.  There  was  a  call  for  a  doctor.  Charles 
Taft  was  handed  up  from  the  stage  to  the  box.    There 


108        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

was  a  call  for  water.  My  father  took  Laura  Keene 
up  to  the  box  by  a  way  known  to  the  regular  company. 
They  were  stripping  Lincoln  to  find  the  wound.  Laura 
Keene  raised  his  head  in  her  arms  and  found  blood 
trickling  down  her  dress.  The  bar  from  the  door 
was  removed  and  another  doctor  entered.  My  father, 
Thomas  C.  Gourley,  helped  to  carry  Lincoln  from  the 
theater  to  the  house  where  he  died  next  morning.  I 
feel  that  where  Lincoln  gave  his  life  that  collection 
should  remain.  This  is  where  I  ask  your  help,  if  I 
don't  presume  too   much. 

"Very  respectfully  yours, 
"Jeannie  Gourley  Struthers."  * 

Of  the  company  of  that  eventful  night,  Mrs. 
Struthers,  September  17,  1924,  says  that  Mr.  W.  J. 
Ferguson,  Mrs.  Evans  and  one  other  survives;  that 
Mrs.  Evans  resides  in  Chicago  and  the  unnamed  actor 
in  Philadelphia;3  and  that  Miss  Trueman  of  Los 
Angeles  died  a  few  months  since. 

LAURA  KEENE. 

"Prominent  among  those  mentioned  in  connection 
with  the  incidents  of  the  late  tragical  death  of  our 
worthy  President  is  the  name  of  Miss  Laura  Keene, 
the  actress.  In  order  to  place  her  right  in  the  history 
the  following  facts  will  suffice : 

"Miss  Keene  was  behind  the  scenes  at  the  precise 
time  of  the  shooting,  waiting  to  come  on  the  stage. 
She  was  near  the  place  theatrically  known  as  the 
tormentor.  She  was  on  the  northern  side  of  the 
theatre,  while  the  President's  box  was  on  the  southern 


1  The  Evening  Star,  May  30,  1923.  Mrs.  Struthers  lives  at  Milford, 
Pennsylvania. 

3  In  the  Washington  Times-Herald,  February  11,  1923,  are  reproduced 
photographs,  belonging  to  Anton  Heitmuller,  of  Laura  Keene, 
Jeannie  Gourley,  Helen  Trueman,  T.  C.  Gourley  and  W.  J.  Fer- 
guson. 

"Jennie  Anderson.  Widow  of  Gen.  W.  E.  W.  Ross  of  Baltimore. 
Died  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  December  27,  1924. 


Laura  Keene 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        109 

side.  Miss  Keene's  position  was  near  the  prompter's 
desk;  but  as  that  official  was  absent  calling  some 
of  the  actors  she  placed  herself  near  the  point  where 
she  could  more  readilly  enter  upon  her  part.  She 
was  at  the  time  expecting  to  see  the  ingress  of  Mr. 
Spear,  whose  part  was  at  hand,  and  prepared  herself 
to  break  his  fall  as  he  entered  in  a  drunken  scene; 
but  instead  of  receiving  Mr.  Spear,  Mr.  Booth  pushed 
his  way  suddenly  through  the  side  scene,  striking  Miss 
Keene  on  the  hand  with  his  own,  in  which  he  held  the 
dagger.  She  for  a  second  looked  at  him  and  saw  it 
was  another  person  from  the  one  she  expected,  and 
instanteously  she  heard  the  cry  that  the  President  was 
shot.  The  cry  was  spontaneous  among  the  audience, 
and  many  of  them  were  making  for  the  stage.  She 
then  knew  that  something  was  occurring,  as  women 
were  screaming,  men  hallooing  and  children  crying, 
as  if  a  fire  panic  had  taken  place.  Miss  Keene  went 
to  the  front  of  the  stage,  and,  addressing  the  bewil- 
dered audience,  said  Tor  God's  sake  have  presence  of 
mind  and  keep  your  places  and  all  will  be  well.' 
Notwithstanding  this  appeal  the  audience  were  bois- 
terous, and  while  all  seemed  willing  to  detect  the 
perpetrator  of  the  great  crime,  but  one  made  a  move 
to  this  end.  Scarcely  had  the  perpetrator  of  the  crime 
jumped  from  the  President's  box  to  the  stage,  than 
he  was  followed  by  Mr.  Stewart,  one  of  the  auditors. 
*  *  *  Miss  Keene,  after  momentarily  arresting  the 
panic  and  consternation  in  the  audience,  heard  the  cry 
of  Miss  Harris,  saying  'Miss  Keene,  bring  some 
water'.  Miss  Keene  responding  to  the  call,  made  her 
way,  which  was  rather  circuitous,  through  the  dress 
circle  to  the  President's  box,  and  got  there  a  few 
moments  after  the  occurrence.  There  she  saw  Mrs. 
Lincoln,  in  the  agony  of  a  devoted  wife,  uttering  the 
most  piteous  cries.  Miss  Keene  attempted  to  pacify 
her,  at  the  same  time  offering  the  good  offices  in  her 
power;  but  she  was  convinced  from  her  observation 
that  human  help  was  in  vain.      Miss   Keene   remained 


110       Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

with    the    President    until    he     was     taken     from     the 
theatre."1 

"Miss  Laura  Keene,  the  actress,  proved  herself  in 
this  awful  time  as  equal  to  sustain  a  part  in  real 
tragedy  as  to  interpret  that  of  the  stage.  Pausing 
one  moment  before  the  footlights  to  entreat  the  audi- 
ence to  be  calm,  she  ascended  the  stairs  in  the  rear 
of  Mr.  Lincoln's  box,  entered  it,  took  the  dying 
President's  head  in  her  lap,  bathed  it  with  water  she 
had  brought,  and  endeavored  to  force  some  of  the 
liquid  through  the  insensible  lips.  The  locality  of  the 
wound  was  at  first  supposed  to  be  in  the  breast.  It 
was  not  until  after  the  neck  and  shoulders  had  been 
bared,  and  no  mark  discovered,  that  the  dress  of  Miss 
Keene  stained  with  blood,  revealed  where  the  ball  had 
penetrated."2 

ACCOUNT  OF  SEATON  MUNROE 

"On  the  evening  of  the  14th  of  April  1865,  a  few 
minutes  after  10  o'clock,  I  was  in  company  with  a 
friend  walking  on  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  when  a  man 
running  down  10th  street  approached  us  wildly 
exclaiming:  'My  God,  the  President  is  killed  at 
Ford's  Theatre !'  Calling  to  my  friend  to  follow  me 
I  ran  to  the  theatre,  two  blocks  away,  perceiving  as  I 
neared  it  increasing  evidences  of  wildest  excitement, 
which  reached  its  climax  in  the  auditorium.  How  it 
was  that  I  worked  my  way  through  the  shouting 
crowd  that  tilled  the  house,  and  found  myself  over  the 
footlights  and  on  the  stage  I  am  unable  to  describe. 

"Excited  crowds  during  the  war  were  nothing  new 
to  me  but  I  had  never  witnessed  such  a  scene  as  was 
now  presented.  The  seats,  aisles,  galleries,  and  stage 
were  filled  with  shouting  frenzied  men  and  women, 
many  running  aimlessly  over;  a  chaos  of  disorder 
beyond  control.   *   *   *  The  spot  upon  which  the  eyes 


1  The  New  York  Herald,  April  17,  1865. 

1  George  Alfred  Townsend,  Life,  Crime  and  Capture  of  John  Wilkes 
Booth. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        111 

of  all  would  turn  was  the  fatal  upper  stage  box, 
opposite  to  which  I  now  stood.  Access  to  it  was 
guarded,  but  presently  a  man  in  the  uniform  of  an 
army  surgeon  was  assisted  by  numerous  arms  and 
shoulders  to  climb  into  the  box  to  join  the  medical 
men  already  there. 

"I  was  told  that  Laura  Keene,  immediately  after 
the  shot  was  fired,  had  left  the  stage  and  gone  to 
the  assistance  of  Mrs.  Lincoln,  and  I  soon  caught  a 
glimpse  of  that  unhappy  lady  who  had  apparently 
arisen  from  her  husband's  side.  She  stood  in  view 
for  a  moment,  when  throwing  up  her  arms,  with  a 
mournful  cry,  she  disappeared  from  the  sight  of  the 
stage. 

"I  now  made  my  way  towards  the  box  exit  to 
await  the  descent  of  Miss  Keene,  hoping  to  learn 
from  her  the  President's  condition.  I  met  her  at 
the  foot  of  the  staircase  leading  from  the  box,  and 
alone.  Making  a  motion  to  arrest  her  progress,  I 
begged  her  to  tell  me  if  Mr.  Lincoln  was  still  alive. 
'God  only  knows !'  she  gasped,  stopping  for  a  mo- 
ment's rest.  The  memory  of  that  apparition  will 
never  leave  me.  Attired  as  I  had  so  often  seen  her, 
in  the  costume  of  her  part  in  'Our  American  Cousin', 
her  hair  and  dress  were  in  disorder,  and  not  only  was 
her  gown  soaked  in  Mr.  Lincoln's  blood,  but  her 
hands,  and  even  her  cheeks  where  her  fingers  strayed, 
were  bedaubed  with  the  sorry  stains !  But  lately  the 
central  figure  in  the  scene  of  comedy,  she  now  appeared 
the  incarnation  of  tragedy. 

sfs     #     sfc     s|«     * 

"His  handsome  presence  and  engaging  manner  at 
once  captivated  me,  and  during  the  hour  I  remained 
I  had  several  chats  with  him,  the  beginning  of  a 
pleasant  association  of  many  weeks.1  During  this 
period  he  seemed  to  have  been  occasionally  absent 
from  town,  but  we  frequently  met  and  strolled  on  the 
Avenue,    usually    dropping   into    Hancock's.2      The    old 

1  Dance  at  the  National  Hotel,  where  Booth  was  domiciled. 
2 1234  Pennsylvania  Avenue.     John  Hancock. 


112        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

man,  *  *  *  was  then  in  the  prime  of  his  genial  old 
age,  and  his  mulatto  assistant,  'Dick',  was  justly 
celebrated  for  his  ministrations  to  the  convivial  fre- 
quenters of  this  unique  old  curiosity  shop.  Booth  and 
I  occasionally  drifted  into  subjects  theatrical,  and  I, 
but  two  or  three  years  out  of  Harvard,  had  Warren, 
Davenport,  Setchell,  McCullough,  Lawrence  Barrett, 
the  Mestayers,  Westerns,  and  Fannie  Clarke  at  my 
tongue's  end.  All  of  them  were  then  becoming  famous, 
none  of  them,  alas !  now  living.  Booth  never  spoke  to 
me  of  the  war  or  of  national  affairs  with  more  than 
a  passing  word,  and  while  it  was  plain  to  be  seen  that 
he  was  Southern  in  his  feelings,  I  did  not  class  him  as 
a  Secessionist.  It  was  almost  as  difficult  afterwards 
to  realize,  as  then  to  dream,  that  the  mind  and  heart 
clothed  in  such  engaging  presence  was  harboring  a 
treasonable  and  murderous  conspiracy,  or  that  the 
hand  lifting  the  friendly  glass  was  to  direct  the  fatal 
shot  that  awoke  two  hemispheres  in  horror!"1 

That  Booth  exclaimed  'Sic  semper  tyrannis'  in  the 
box  cannot  well  be  doubted  because  of  his  own  state- 
ment and  of  statements  of  witnesses.  That  he  repeated 
the  exclamation  on  the  stage  with  the  addition  'the 
South  is  avenged'  appears  to  be  equally  proved.3  The 
accounts  of  the  witnesses  given  at  the  time,  that  is,  a 
day  or  two  days  after  the  event,  differ  slightly.  The 
disagreement  as  to  the  exclamation  and  other  items,  is 
in  those  accounts  given  many  years  after — indicating 
that  the  memory  re-forms  the  scene. 

It  can  be  presumed  that  Booth  had  in  mind  a  planned 
theatrical  display,  of  which  the  unexpected  encounter  in 
the  box  and  the  jar  by  the  fall  did  not  disconcert  him. 
Walt  Whitman  has  the  same  idea   "Had  not  all  this 


^Recollections  of  Lincoln's  Assassination.  The  North  American  Review, 
April,  1896. 

2  Walter     Burton — like    experience    with     Booth — The    Sunday    Star, 

January  24,  1909. 

3  Dr.  William  Tindall.     The  Evening  Star,  May  11,  1923. 


516  Tenth   Street 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        113 

terrible  scene — had  it  not  all  been  rehears'd  in  blank,  by 
Booth,  beforehand." 

The  American  Historical  Review,  April,  1924,  pub- 
lished the  letter  of  the  Hon.  James  Tanner.  From  the 
letter  is  here  made  a  liberal  extract.  Mr.  Tanner  is 
the  Register  of  Wills  of  the  District  of  Columbia  and 
has  been  for  twenty  years. 

"Ordnance  Office,  War  Department, 
"Washington,  April  17,   1865. 

"Friend  Walch:1 

"Last  Friday  night  a  friend  invited  me  to  attend  the 
theatre  with  him,  which  I  did.  I  would  have  preferred 
the  play  at  Ford's  Theatre,  where  the  President  was 
shot,  but  my  friend  chose  the  play  at  Grover's  which 
was  'Aladdin,  or  the  Wonderful  Lamp'.  While  sitting 
there  witnessing  the  play  about  ten  o'clock,  or  rather  a 
little  after,  the  entrance  door  was  thrown  open  and  a 
man  exclaimed,  'President  Lincoln  is  assassinated  in  his 
private  box  at  Ford's !'  Instantly  all  was  excitement  and 
a  terrible  rush  commenced  and  someone  cried  out,  'Sit 
down,  it  is  a  ruse  of  the  pickpockets.'  The  audience 
generally  agreed  to  this,  for  the  most  of  them  sat  down, 
and  the  play  went  on,  soon,  however,  a  gentleman  came 
out  from  behind  the  scenes  and  informed  us  that  the 
sad  news  was  too  true.     We  instantly  dispersed. 

"My  boarding  house  is  right  opposite  Ford's  Theatre. 
We  then  got  on  the  cars  and  went  down  to  Tenth  St., 
and  up  Tenth  St.,  to  Ford's  and  to  my  boarding  house. 
There  was  an  immense  throng  there,  very  quiet  yet 
very  much  excited;  the  street  was  crowded  and  I  only 
got  across  on  account  of  my  boarding  there.  The 
President  had  been  carried  into  the  adjoining  house  2  to 
where  I  board;  I  went  up  to  my  room  on  the  second 
floor  and  out  on  the  balcony  which  nearly  overhangs  the 

11  Henry  F.  Walch  of  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.  The  letter  is  in  the 
possession  of  his  son,  Hadley  H.  Walch,  of  the  same  place. 

2  House  of  William  Peterson.     Old  number  453;   present  number  516. 


114       Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

door  of  Mr.  Peterson's  house.  Members  of  the  cabinet, 
the  chief  justice,  Generals  Halleck,1  Meigs,2  Augur,8 
and  others  were  going  in  and  out,  all  looking  anxious 
and  sorrow-stricken.  By  leaning  over  the  railing  I  could 
learn  from  time  to  time  of  His  Excellency's  condition, 
and  soon  learned  that  there  was  no  hope  for  him.  Soon 
they  commenced  taking  testimony  in  the  room  adjoining 
where  he  lay,  before  Chief  Justice  Carter,4  and  General 
Halleck5  called  for  a  reporter:  no  one  was  on  hand,  but 
one  of  the  head  clerks  in  our  office,  who  boarded  there, 
knew  I  could  write  shorthand  and  he  told  the  General 
so,  and  he  bade  him  call  me,  so  he  came  to  the  door 
and  asked  me  to  come  down  and  report  the  testimony. 
I  went  down  and  the  General  passed  me  in,  as  the  house 
was  strictly  guarded,  of  course.  I  went  into  a  room 
between  the  rear  room  and  the  front  room.6  Mrs. 
Lincoln  was  in  the  front  room  weeping  as  though  her 
heart  would  break.  In  the  back  room  lay  His  Excel- 
lency breathing  hard,  and  with  every  breath  a  groan.  In 
the  room  where  I  was  were  Generals  Halleck,  Meigs, 
Augur  and  others,  all  of  the  cabinet  excepting  Mr. 
Seward,  Chief  Justice  Chase  and  Chief  Justice  Carter 
of  the  District  of  Columbia,  Andrew  Johnson  and  many 
other  distinguished  men.  A  solemn  silence  pervaded  the 
whole  throng,  it  was  a  terrible  moment.  Never  in  my 
life  was  I  surrounded  by  half  so  impressive  circum- 
stances. Opposite  me  at  the  table  where  I  sat  writing 
sat  Secretary  Stanton  writing  dispatches  to  General  Dix 
and  others,  and  giving  orders  for  the  guarding  at  Ford's 
and  the  surrounding  country.  At  the  left  of  me  was 
Judge  Carter  propounding  the  questions  to  the  witnesses 
whose  answers  I  was  jotting  down  in  Standard  Phono- 
graphy.   I  was  so  excited  when  I  commenced  that  I  am 


1  Henry    W.    Halleck,   Major    General,   Chief   of   Staff. 

2  Montgomery  C.  Meigs,   Brevet  Major  General   and  Q.  M.  General. 

3  Christopher  C.  Augur,  Major  General,  Dept.  of  Washington. 
*  David  K.  Cartter,  Chief  Justice,  Supreme   Court  of  the  D.  C. 

5  Mr.   Tanner   makes   the   correction.     It   was    Major    General    C.    C. 
Augur. 

6  The  house  was  two   rooms  deep  with  an  L.     Mr.  Lincoln  was  laid 
in  the  L  room  on  the  first  floor. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        115 

afraid  that  it  did  not  much  resemble  Standard  Phono- 
graphy or  any  other  kind,  but  I  could  read  it  readily 
afterward,  so  what  was  the  difference?  In  fifteen 
minutes  I  had  testimony  enough  down  to  hang  Wilkes 
Booth,  the  assassin,  higher  than  ever  Haman  hung.  I 
was  writing  shorthand  for  about  an  hour  and  a  half, 
when  I  commenced  transcribing  it.  I  thought  I  had  been 
writing  about  two  hours  when  I  looked  at  the  clock  and 
it  marked  half  past  four  A.M.  I  commenced  writing 
about  12  M.  I  could  not  believe  that  it  was  so  late,  but 
my  watch  corroborated  it.  The  surrounding  circum- 
stances had  so  engrossed  my  attention  that  I  had  not 
noticed  the  flight  of  time.  In  the  front  room  Mrs. 
Lincoln  was  uttering  the  most  heartbroken  exclamations 
all  the  night  long.  As  she  passed  through  the  hall 
back  to  the  parlor  after  she  had  taken  leave  of  the 
President  for  the  last  time,  as  she  went  by  my  door  I 
heard  her  moan,  *0,  my  God,  and  have  I  given  my 
husband  to  die',  and  I  tell  you  I  never  heard  so  much 
agony  in  a  few  words.  The  President  was  still  alive  but 
sinking  fast.  He  had  been  utterly  unconscious  from  the 
time  the  shot  struck  him  and  remained  so  until  he 
breathed  his  last.  At  6 :45  Saturday  morning  I  finished 
my  notes  and  passed  into  the  back  room  where  the 
President  lay;  it  was  very  evident  that  he  could  not  last 
long.  There  was  no  crowd  in  the  room,  which  was  very 
small,  but  I  approached  quite  near  the  bed  on  which  so 
much  greatness  lay,  fast  losing  its  hold  on  this  world. 
The  head  of  the  bed  was  toward  the  door;  at  the  head 
stood  Capt.  Robert  Lincoln  weeping  on  the  shoulder  of 
Senator  Sumner.  General  Halleck  stood  just  behind 
Robert  Lincoln  and  I  stood  just  to  the  left  of  General 
Halleck  and  between  him  and  General  Meiggs.  Secre- 
tary Stanton  was  there  trying  every  way  to  be  calm  and 
yet  he  was  very  much  moved.  The  utmost  silence  per- 
vaded, broken  only  by  the  sound  of  strong  men's  sobs. 
It  was  a  solemn  time,  I  assure  you.  The  President 
breathed  heavily  until  a  few  minutes  before  he  breathed 


116        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

his  last,  then  his  breath  came  easily  and  he  passed  off 
very  quietly. 

******* 

"Very  truly  your  friend, 

"James  Tanner." 

The  writer  recommends  that  the  student  of  history 
read  the  account  of  that  night  in  the  Diary  of  Gideon 
Welles;  and  Men  and  Measures  of  Half  a  Century 
by  Hugh  McCulloch. 

Mr.  Lincoln  was  shot  April  14,  1865,  10:20  P.M.; 
he  died  on  the  ensuing  morning  at  7.22.  Age:  56  years, 
2  months  and  3  days. 

Immediately  upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Lincoln  the 
church  bells  tolled.  It  was  the  first  announcement  that 
the  Chief  Magistrate  is  dead. 

Although  it  was  in  his  early  youth  the  writer  vividly 
remembers  the  lights  in  all  the  windows  Thursday  night; 
that  on  Saturday  morning  on  every  house  and  store  and 
building  somebody  was  busy  placing  the  black  cloth  of 
mourning.  It  was  a  strange  contrast  even  in  the  eyes 
of  a  boy  of  seven. 

On  Wednesday,  the  19th,  in  funeral  state  was  the 
body  in  the  East  Room  of  the  Executive  Mansion.  The 
Guards  of  Honor  were  Major  General  Hitchcock1  and 
Brevet  Major  General  Eaton2  and  twenty-five  or  about 
that  number  of  other  officers.  The  public  was  admitted 
at  half  past  nine  in  the  forenoon  and  the  number  which 
passed  by  exceeded  thirty  thousand.  At  the  services, 
Rev.  Dr.  Hall  of  the  Episcopal  Church,3  Bishop  Simpson 
of  the  Methodist4  and  Dr.  Gray  of  the  Baptist  assisted.5 
Rev.  Dr.  Gurley  delivered  the  discourse. 

1  General  E.  A.  Hitchcock. 

2  General  Amos  B.  Eaton. 

3  Rev.  Charles  H.  Hall,  Pastor,  Church  of  the  Epiphany. 

4  Rev.   Mathew   Simpson,   D.D.,  Bishop   M.   E.    Church. 

5  Rev.    Edgar    H.    Gray,    Pastor    E    Street    Baptist    Church.     Services 

fully  reported  in  Illustrated  Life,  Services,  Martyrdom  and  Funeral 
of  Abraham  Lincoln.     Edited  by  D.  B.  Williamson. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        117 

"The  people  confided  in  the  late  lamented  President 
with  a  firm  and  loving  confidence  which  no  other  man 
enjoyed  since  the  days  of  Washington.  He  deserved  it 
well  and  deserved  it  all.  He  merited  it  by  his  character, 
by  his  acts  and  by  the  whole  tenor  and  tone  and  spirit 
of  his  life." 

As  the  services  began  was  heard  the  bells  in  the  city 
and  the  guns  at  the  fortifications. 

"Every  window,  housetop,  balcony  and  every  inch  of 
the  sidewalks  on  either  side  was  densely  crowded  with 
a  mournful  throng  to  pay  homage  to  departed  worth. 
Despite  the  enormous  crowd  the  silence  was  profound. 
It  seemed  akin  to  death  it  commemorated.  If  any  con- 
versation was  indulged  in,  it  was  in  suppressed  tones, 
and  only  audible  to  the  one  spoken  to.  A  solemn  sad- 
ness reigned  everywhere.  Presently  the  monotonous 
thump  of  the  funeral  drum  sounded  in  the  street,  and 
the  military  escort  of  the  funeral  car  began  to  march 
past  with  solemn  tread,  muffled  drum  and  arms  re- 
versed."1 

Col.  B.  B.  French,  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings, 
and  James  O.  Clephane,  a  civic  marshal  led.  The  pro- 
cession included  three  hundred  marshals  and  assistant 
marshals,  eleven  Major-Generals,  eighty-four  Brigadier- 
Generals,  twelve  hundred  other  military  officers,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  naval  officers  including  Vice  Admiral 
Farragut,  and  one  hundred  and  eight  Senators  and  mem- 
bers of  Congress.  In  the  procession  were  eighteen  thous- 
and. The  witnesses  were  estimated  at  one  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand. 

The  remains  were  placed  in  the  rotunda  and  Rev. 
Dr.  Gurley  conducted  a  burial  service.  The  next  day, 
Thursday,  the  twentieth,  all  day  the  body  was  in  state. 
Friday  morning,  early  it  was  removed  to  the  station 


1  Frank  Leslies'  Illustrated  Newspaper. 


118        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

General  Robert  E.  Lee,  the  same  day  of  the  death, 
upon  hearing  the  report  at  once  said:  "When  I  dis- 
possessed myself  of  the  command  of  the  Confederate 
forces  I  kept  in  mind  President  Lincoln's  benignity  and 
surrendered  as  much  to  his  goodness  as  to  General 
Grant's  artillery.  I  regret  Mr.  Lincoln's  death  as  much 
as  any  man  in  the  North,  and  I  believe  him  to  be  the 
epitome  of  magnanimity  and  good  faith."1 

Richmond  and  Petersburg,  Virginia,2  and  perhaps 
other  cities  in  the  South  were  draped  in  mourning. 

The  Richmond  Whig,  April  25th: 

"Therefore,  we  feel  safe  in  asserting  that  the  murder 
of  the  President  was  in  no  sense  connived  at  or  insti- 
gated by  the  people  in  this  part  of  the  country.  On  the 
contrary,  we  have  heard  nothing  but  denunciation  of  the 
deed  on  all  sides,  even  from  those  who  have  been 
prominent  Secessionists, — believing,  as  they  do,  that 
whatever  may  have  been  the  political  principles  of  Mr. 
Lincoln,  he  was  nevertheless,  a  lenient  and  good-hearted 
man,  a  friend  to  the  Southern  people,  and  that  his 
liberal  course,  already  commenced,  in  the  hour  of 
triumph,  would  have  entirely  restored  that  fraternal 
feeling  and  harmony  which  heretofore  characterized  the 
American  Union." 

His  two  grand  objects  Abraham  Lincoln  accom- 
plished, the  preservation  of  the  union  and  the  abolition 
of  slavery.  To  the  human  mind  it  is  distressful  that 
Lincoln  was  denied  a  wider  retrospect  of  his  accom- 
plishments. God's  ways  man  cannot  fathom.  Lincoln 
had  a  third  grand  purpose ;  it  was  from  the  consequence 
of  the  war  to  heal  the  scars,  to  restore  friendship,  to 
establish  equilibrium.  He  put  his  purpose  in  train;  with- 
out his  presence  it  was  accomplished.     It  is  Disraeli's 


1  The  Evening  Star. 

2  The  Evening  Star. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        119 

epigram  "Assassination  has  never  changed  the  history  of 
the  world." 

"Washington,  July  17,  1867. 
"Editors  Intelligencer : 

$  $  ♦  ♦  *  *  # 

"It  was  on  the  afternoon  of  Good  Friday,  April  14, 
1865,  at  about  4  o'clock,  that  I  met  John  Wilkes  Booth 
(on  horseback)  on  Pennsylvania  avenue,  at  the  triangu- 
lar enclosure  between  Thirteenth  and  Fourteenth  streets. 
*  *  *  Observing  his  paleness,  nervousness,  and  agita- 
tion, I  remarked,  'John,  how  nervous  you  are;  what  is 
the  matter?'  to  which  he  replied,  'Oh,  no  it  is  nothing', 
and  continued  with,  'Johnny,  I  have  a  little  favor  to  ask 
of  you,  will  you  grant  it?'  'Why  certainly,  John,'  I 
replied:  'What  is  it?'  He  then  stated,  'Perhaps  I  may 
leave  town  tonight,  and  I  have  a  letter  here  which  I 
desire  to  be  published  in  the  National^  Intelligencer; 
please  attend  to  it  for  me,  unless  I  see  you  before  ten 
o'clock  tomorrow;  in  that  case  I  will  see  to  it  myself.' 

"Now  for  the  contents  of  the  letter.  *  *  *  It  was 
only  at  the  concluding  paragraph  that  anything  was  said 
bearing  upon  what  had  transpired  which  was  to  the  effect 
and  in  these  words: 

"For  a  long  time  I  have  devoted  my  energies,  my 
time,  and  money  to  the  accomplishment  of  a  certain  end. 
I  have  been  disappointed.  The  moment  has  now  arrived 
when  I  must  change  my  plans.  Many  will  blame  me  for 
what  I  am  about  to  do;  but  posterity,  I  am  sure,  will 
justify  me. 

"Men  who  love  their  country  better  than  gold  or  life. 

John  W.  Booth,  Payne,  Herold,  Atzerodt. 

"Respectfully, 
"John  Mathews."1 


1  Mathews  was  of  the  company  at  Ford's  that  evening.  In  putting  on 
his  coat  quickly  he  dropped  the  paper.  It  came  to  his  mind  and 
he  hastened  back.  The  same  evening  he  destroyed  the  paper  and 
consulted  Rev.  Thomas  Boyle  who  advised  him  to  hurry  on  to 
Canada.    He  did. 


120        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

"Franklin  Square,  Boston,  April  15,   1865. 
"Henry  C.  Jarrett,  Esq. 
"My  Dear  sir: 

"With  deepest  sorrow  and  greatest  agitation,  I  thank 
you  for  relieving  me  from  my  engagement  with  yourself 
and  the  public.  The  news  of  the  morning  has  made  me 
wretched  indeed  not  only  because  I  have  received  the 
unhappy  tidings  of  the  suspicions  of  a  brother's  crime, 
but  because  a  good  man,  and  a  most  justly  honoured  and 
patriotic  ruler,  has  fallen  in  an  hour  of  natural  joy,  by 
the  hand  of  an  assassin.  The  memory  of  the  thousands 
who  have  fallen  in  the  field  in  our  country's  defence  dur- 
ing this  struggle,  cannot  be  forgotten  by  me,  even  in 
this,  most  distressing  day  of  my  life.  And  I  most 
sincerely  pray,  that  the  victories  we  have  already  won 
may  stay  the  brand  of  war  and  the  tide  of  loyal  blood. 
While  mourning  in  common  with  all  other  loyal  hearts, 
the  death  of  the  President,  I  am  oppressed  by  the 
private  woe  not  to  be  expressed  in  words.  But  whatever 
calamity  may  befall  me  and  mine,  my  country,  one  and 
indivisible,  has  my  warmest  devotion. 

"Edwin  Booth." 
"Extracts  from  Booth's  Diary. 
"Te  Amo. 

"April  13-14.     Friday,  The  Ides. 

"Until  today  nothing  was  ever  thought  of  sacrificing 
to  our  country's  wrongs.  For  six  months  we  had 
worked  to  capture.  But  our  cause  being  almost  lost, 
something  decisive  and  great  must  be  done.  But  its 
failure  was  owing  to  others  who  did  not  strike  for  their 
country  with  a  heart.  I  struck  boldly  and  not  as  the 
papers  say.  I  walked  with  a  firm  step  through  a 
thousand  of  his  friends;  was  stopped  but  pushed  on.  A 
colonel  was  at  his  side.  I  shouted  sic  semper  tyrannis 
before  I  fired.  In  jumping  I  broke  my  leg.  I  passed 
all  his  pickets.  Rode  sixty  miles  that  night,  with  a 
bone  of  my  leg  tearing  the  flesh  at  every  jump. 

"I  can  never  repent  it,  though  we  hated  to  kill.  Our 
country  owed  all  her  troubles  to  him,  and  God  simply 
made  me  the  instrument  of  his  punishment. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        121 

"The  country  is  not  what  it  was.  This  forced  union 
is  not  what  I  have  loved.  I  care  not  what  becomes  of 
me.  I  have  no  desire  to  outlive  my  country.  This 
night  (before  the  deed)  I  wrote  a  long  article  and  left 
it  for  one  of  the  editors  of  the  National  Intelligencer, 
in  which  I  fully  set  forth  our  reasons  for  our  pro- 
ceedings. 

Friday  21. 

"After  being  hunted;  like  a  dog  through  swamps, 
woods  and  last  night  being  chased  by  gun-boats  till  I 
was  forced  to  return  wet,  cold  and  starving,  with  every 
man's  hand  against  me,  I  am  here  in  despair.  And  why? 
For  doing  what  Brutus  was  honored  for — what  made 
Tell  a  hero.  And  yet  I,  for  striking  down  a  greater 
tyrant  than  they  ever  knew  am  looked  upon  as  a  com- 
mon cut-throat.  My  action  was  purer  than  either  of 
theirs.  One  hoped  to  be  great  himself.  The  other  had 
not  only  his  country's  but  his  own  wrongs  to  avenge.  I 
hoped  for  no  gain.  I  knew  no  private  wrong.  I  struck 
for  my  country  and  that  alone.  A  country  groaned 
beneath  this  tyrant  and  prayed  for  this  end,  and  yet 
now  behold  the  cold  hand  they  extend  to  me.  God 
cannot  pardon  me  if  I  have  done  wrong.  Yet  I  cannot 
see  any  wrong,  except  in  serving  a  degenerate  people." 

Booth  and  Herold  fled  southward  through  Maryland. 
Near  Port  Tobacco  on  the  Potomac  they  were  in  hiding 
with  the  assistance  of  Thomas  A.  Jones.  He  supplied 
them  with  food  and  newspapers.  Booth  from  these 
learned  of  the  denunciation  of  his  act  to  which  he  refers 
in  his  diary.  Saturday  night,  the  22d.,  Booth  and 
Herold  left  the  Potomac  at  Nanjemoy  Creek  and  rowed 
down  and  across  to  Gambo  Creek  which  enters  a  short 
distance  north  of  Machodoc  Creek  on  the  Virginia  side. 
On  Monday  evening,  the  23d.,  they  were  driven  to  Port 
Conway  on  the  Rappahannock  and  the  same  evening 
they  crossed  over  to  Port  Royal.  They  took  refuge  in 
a  barn  of  Richard  H.   Garrett,   three  miles   south   of 


122       Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

the  town.  The  government  came  upon  them  early  Wed- 
nesday morning,  the  25th.  Booth  declined  to  come  out. 
Booth  said,  "There  is  a  man  in  here  who  wants  to  get 
out;"  and  added,  "who  had  nothing  to  do  with  it." 
Herold  surrendered.  The  barn  was  fired.  By  the  light 
of  the  fire  Booth  could  be  seen.  Boston  Corbett,  a 
soldier  fired  and  mortally  wounded  him.  Booth  was 
laid  on  the  grass  under  a  cluster  of  locust  trees.  He 
faintly  said  "Tell  mother  I  died  for  my  country."  He 
was  finally  removed  to  a  porch  where  he  repeated  "kill 
me,  kill  me."    He  soon  died.1 

Lewis  Payne,  close  to  the  same  time  of  the  assassina- 
tion, made  a  murderous  attack  on  Mr.  Seward,  Secre- 
tary of  State.  Payne  discarded  his  family  name 
Powell.  He  was  twenty  years  of  age;  of  striking  looks 
and  of  herculean  build.8 


1  William   Tindall:     Booth's  Escape   from  Washington.     Records  of 

the  Columbia  Historical  Society.     Vol.  18. 

2  Payne  was  the  son  of  Rev.  George  C.  Powell,  a  Baptist  Minister — 

Osborne  H.  Oldroyd,  Assassination  of  Lincoln. 


Mrs.  Surratt 


V.  The  Trial 

"A  thirst  for  vengeance  seemed  to  have  taken  pos- 
session of  every  soul.  It  was  felt  that  some  one  ought 
to  be  hanged  and  there  was  a  disposition  to  begin  upon 
the  first  available  person." — New  York  Herald. 

"If  the  charge  of  her  guilt  were  proven,  she  was  the 
Lady  Macbeth  of  the  west."- — George  Alfred  Townsend. 

Mrs.  Surratt  was  first  confined  in  the  Carroll  Prison. 
On  July  8,  1865,  the  day  after  the  execution  was  published 
in  the  Evening "Star: 

"It  is  stated  that  Mrs.  Surratt,  before  Booth  was 
captured  and  while  she  was  at  the  Carroll  Prison,  was 
offered  a  free  and  unconditional  pardon,  for  herself  and 
son,  if  she  would  accompany  an  officer  in  a  buggy  and 
point  out  the  road  which  Booth  had  probably  taken. 
She  protested  that  she  had  no  idea  which  road  he  took, 
and  had  no  knowledge  of  his  intention  to  assassinate 
the  President  when  he  visited  her  house  and  positively 
refused  to  accompany  the  officer  as  she  could  not  be  of 
any  service." 

A  Military  Commission  was  authorized  by  Executive 
order,  May  1,  1865,  with  the  Whereas: 

"That  persons  implicated  in  the  murder  of  the  late 
President,  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  the  attempted  assassina- 
tion of  the  Honorable  William  H.  Seward,  Secretary  of 
State,  and  an  alleged  conspiracy  to  assassinate  other 
officers  of  the  Federal  Government  at  Washington  City, 
and  their  aiders  and  abettors  are  subject  to  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  and  lawfully  triable  before  a  Military  Com- 
mission." 

The  Commission  appointed  the  6th,  consisted  of 
Major-Generals  David  Hunter  and  Lewis  Wallace, 
Brevet    Major-General    August    V.    Kautz,    Brigadier- 

123 


124       Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

Generals  Albion  P.  Howe,  Robert  S.  Foster  and  Thomas 
M.  Harris,  Brevet  Brigadier-General  James  A.  Eakin, 
Brevet  Colonel  Charles  H.  Tompkins  and  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  David  R.  Clendennin.  Brigadier-General 
Joseph  Holt,  Judge  Advocate  General,  U.  S.  Army,  was 
the  Judge-Advocate  and  Recorder  of  the  Commission, 
Judge  John  A.  Bingham  and  Brevet  Colonel  Henry  L. 
Burnett  were  Assistant  or  Special  Judge  Advocates,  the 
former  as  active  prosecuting  officer,  the  latter  as  recorder. 

Frederick  A.  Aiken  and  John  W.  Clampitt,  the  firm 
of  Aiken  and  Clampitt,  and  the  Hon.  Reverdy  Johnson 
represented  Mary  E.  Surratt;  William  E.  Doster,  for- 
merly Provost  Marshal,  represented  George  A.  Atzer- 
odt  and  Lewis  Payne;  and  Frederick  Stone  of  Port 
Tobacco,  Md.  represented  David  E.  Herold. 

The  sessions  were  held  in  a  room  on  the  third  floor 
of  the  penitentiary  of  the  Arsenal,  where  is  now  the  War 
College.  The  first  session  was  on  May  9th,  the  last,  June 
30th. 

At  the  last  session  the  defendants,  Herold,  Payne, 
Atzerodt  and  Mrs.  Surratt  were  found  guilty  and  sen- 
tenced to  be  hanged.  The  President  approved  the  sen- 
tences, July  5th,  and  fixed  July  7th,  between  the  hours  10 
A.M.  and  2  P.M.  as  the  time  for  execution. 

Upon  the  petition  of  Mrs.  Surratt  the  writ  of  habeas 
corpus  was  granted  by  Andrew  Wylie,  a  Justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  returnable 
10  A.M.  July  7th.  At  11.30  Major-General  Hancock1 
appeared  with  Attorney  General  Speed  before  the  Court 
and  stated  that  he  did  not  produce  the  petitioner  because 
of  a  special  order  of  the  President  of  the  United  States 
suspending  the  writ.     The  Court  yielded  to  the  suspen- 


1  Major   General  Winfield  S.  Hancock,  U.   S.  Volunteers. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        125 

sion.  Mr.  Doster  applied  for  the  writ  on  behalf  of  his 
clients.    The  Court  denied  it  as  it  could  be  of  no  avail. 

Herold  was  no  more  than  an  errand  boy  to  Booth. 
Dr.  Davis1  before  the  Commission  testified  "From  what 
I  know  of  him,  I  should  say  he  is  very  easily  persuaded 
and  led;  I  should  think  that  nature  had  not  endowed  him 
with  as  much  intellect  as  the  generality  of  people  possess. 
I  should  think  his  age  is  about  twenty-two  or  twenty- 
three,  but  I  consider  him  far  more  of  a  boy  than  a  man." 
Dr.  McKim  testified:  "I  consider  him  a  very  light,  trival 
unreliable  boy;  so  that  I  would  never  let  him  put  up  a 
prescription  of  mine  if  I  could  prevent  it,  feeling  con- 
fident he  would  tamper  with  it  if  he  thought  he  could  play 
a  joke  on  anybody.  In  mind  I  consider  him  about  eleven 
years  of  age."2  At  the  wharf  of  Port  Conway  when  in 
flight  with  Booth,  he  made  the  indiscreet  remark  to  the 
ex-confederate,  Willie  S.  Jett,  embarrassing  both  to 
Booth  and  Jett,  "We  are  the  assassinators  of  the  Presi- 
dent." Although  he  did  assist  Booth,  as  a  servant,  he 
had  no  part  in  a  conspiracy  notwithstanding  the  finding 
of  the  Commission. 

Atzerodt  upon  being  taken  made  a  confession  which 
was  in  writing.  "Booth  sent  a  messenger  to  the  Oyster 
Bay,  and  I  went."3  "On  the  evening  of  the  14th  of  April 
I  met  Booth  and  Payne  at  the  Herndon  House4,  in  this 
city,  at  eight  o'clock.  He  said  he  himself  should  murder 
Mr.  Lincoln  and  General  Grant;  Payne  should  take  Mr. 
Seward  and  I  should  take  Mr.  Johnson.  I  told  him  I 
would  not  do  it;  that  I  had  gone  into  the  thing  to  capture, 
but  I  was  not  going  to  kill.     He  told  me  I  was  a  fool; 


1  Dr.  Charles  W.  Davis. 

3  Dr.  Samuel  A.  H.  McKim.    Herold  at  various  times  and  places  was 

a   drug  clerk. 
8 1216  Pennsylvania  Avenue. 
*  S.  W.  Cor.  F  and  9th  Streets ;  where  is  the  Washington  Loan  and 

Trust  Building. 


126        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

that  I  would  be  hung  anyhow,  and  that  it  was  death  for 
every  man  that  backed  out;  and  so  we  parted."  At  the 
Kirkwood  House1  on  the  morning  of  the  14th  a  room 
was  taken  in  the  name  of  Atzerodt.  "The  arms  which 
were  found  in  my  room  at  the  Kirkwood  House,  and  a 
black  coat,  do  not  belong  to  me;  neither  were  they  left 
to  be  used  by  me."  The  confession  was  not  admitted. 
The  inquiry  of  Booth  on  his  visit  to  Grover's  Theatre, 
the  13th,  is  the  first  indication  of  a  purpose  to  murder. 
The  meeting  of  Booth  and  Payne  and  Atzerodt  as  stated 
in  the  confession,  is  the  first  mention  of  a  conspiracy  to 
murder. 

Mr.  Doster  said: 

"The  prisoner  desires  to  make  a  full  statement  of  his 
guilt  in  this  transaction  if  there  is  any  guilt,  and  of  his 
innocence,  if  there  is  any  evidence  of  it.  He  asks  his 
statement  to  be  placed  on  record,  because  he  has  been 
debarred  from  calling  any  other  prisoners  who  might  be 
his  witnesses,  for  the  reason  that  they  are  co-defendants. 
He  therefore  asks  that  he  may  be  allowed  to  speak 
through  Captain  Monroe,  as  he  would  otherwise  speak 
through  one  of  his  co-defendants.  I  ask  this  as  a  matter 
of  fairness  and  liberality  at  the  hands  of  the  Commis- 
sion." 

The  Judge  Advocate,  Holt,  before  and  after  Mr. 
Doster's  plea,  in  objection  was  obdurate.  He  insisted 
on  the  strict  letter  of  the  law  on  admissibility  of  evidence. 

An  author  on  the  assassination  has  that  everybody 
believed  Atzerodt  to  be  guilty.  That  included  the  Com- 
mission.    That  was  sufficient  for  conviction. 

Mrs.  Surratt,  the  widow  of  John  H.  Surratt,  had  at 
Surrattsville,  Md.,  with  ample  grounds,  a  building;  one 
part  her  residence,  the  other,  a  tavern.  She  rented  the 
entire  property  to  John  M.  Lloyd  and  for  herself  rented 


1  N.  E.   Cor.   Pennsylvania   Ave.   and   12th    St.,  where  is  the   Raleigh. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        127 

premises  541  H  street,  N.W.  (present  number  604.)  The 
change  of  residence  was  made  by  Mrs.  Surratt,  Novem- 
ber 1,  1864.  Then  Louis  J.  Weichmann  made  his  quar- 
ters with  her.  He  with  John  Harrison  Surratt,  son  of 
Mrs.  Surratt,  studied  1859-'62,  theology  in  the  Catholic 
institution,  St.  Charles  College,  at  Ellicott's  Mills,  Md. 
He  was  the  prosecution's  star  witness.  At  the  time  he 
lived  with  Mrs.  Surratt,  he  was  a  clerk  in  the  office  of 
the  Commissary-General  of  Prisons. 

Mr.  Lloyd,  the  lessee,  testified  that  five  or  six  weeks 
before  the  assassination,  Surratt,  Herold  and  Atzerodt 
came  to  his  place  and  that  Surratt,  apart  from  the  others, 
asked  him  to  take  care  of  a  rope,  sixteen  to  twenty  feet 
in  length,  a  monkey  wrench  and  two  carbines,  the  carbines 
to  be  concealed.  On  Tuesday  of  the  week  of  the  assassin- 
ation on  the  road  at  Uniontown,  now  Anacostia,  he  met 
Mrs.  Surratt  and  she  called  attention  to  the  "shooting 
irons"  and  said  "they  would  be  wanted  soon."  On  the 
day  of  the  assassination  about  five  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, at  his  place  "She  told  me  to  have  those  shooting 
irons  ready  that  night,  there  would  be  some  parties  who 
would  call  for  them."  She  then  left  with  him  a  pair  of 
field  glasses.  Mr.  Weichmann  on  both  visits  accom- 
panied her,  the  conveyance  being  by  buggy.  On  both 
visits  she  had  business,  the  collection  of  a  debt.  These 
two  meetings  with  the  denial  about  Payne,  it  is  generally 
presumed,  were  the  grounds  of  her  conviction. 

On  the  night  of  April  17th,  Mrs.  Surratt  with  the 
feminine  part  of  the  household  were  by  officers  of  the 
government  arrested.  Just  before  the  arrested  women 
were  to  be  taken  away,  Payne  appeared  in  a  disguise  with 
a  pick-axe.  His  replies  to  Major  Smith's1  questions 
excited  the  suspicion  of  the  Major  and  in  his  words: 

1  Maj.  Henry  Warren  Smith.    Proceedings  of  a  Military  Commission. 


128        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

"I  went  to  the  parlor  door  and  said,  Mrs.  Surratt,  will 
you  step  here  a  minute?  She  came  out  and  I  asked  her, 
do  you  know  this  man,  and  did  you  hire  him  to  come  and 
dig  a  gutter  for  you?  She  answered,  raising  her  right 
hand,  'Before  God,  sir,  I  do  not  know  this  man,  and  have 
never  seen  him,  and  I  did  not  hire  him  to  dig  a  gutter  for 
me.'  In  defence  of  Mrs.  Surratt,  defective  vision  was 
given  as  the  cause  of  her  failure  of  recognition.  That 
she  had  been  arrested  a  few  minutes  before  Payne's 
arrival  and  the  consequent  agitation  interfered  with  the 
proper  use  of  her  wits,  which  would  have  been  in  the 
line  of  truth,  can  reasonably  be  claimed.  It  may  have 
been  her  thought  to  protect  Payne  from  something  she 
knew  not  what.  If  Lloyd's  and  Weichmann's  statements 
are  accepted  as  true  still  it  is  not  a  certainty  that  Mrs. 
Surratt  had  been  consulted  on  any  other  line  than  abduc- 
tion. Lloyd  might  have  testified  as  he  did  for  self-pro- 
tection and  so  Weichmann.  The  testimony  of  the  latter 
suggests  turning  of  State's  evidence. 

Weichmann  testified  that  Herold  called  at  the  house 
once ;  that  Atzerodt  called  ten  or  fifteen  times,  that  Payne 
remained  one  night  and  at  another  time,  three  days; 
that  Booth  was  a  frequent  caller.  The  air  or  the  remarks 
at  Mrs.  Surratt's  did  not  accord  with  conspiracy  and 
plotting.  One  of  the  young  ladies  referred  to  Atzerodt 
as  "a  stick"  and  they  called  him  "Port  Tobacco"  after 
the  place  from  which  he  came.  Payne  claimed  to  be  a 
Baptist  preacher.  The  oddity  of  a  Baptist  preacher  in 
a  Catholic  household  gave  some  merriment.  Mrs.  Sur- 
ratt, a  good-natured  woman,  remarked  "that  he  was  a 
good-looking  Baptist  preacher;"  while  a  young  lady 
lodger  "looked  at  him  and  remarked  that  he  was  a  queer- 
looking  Baptist  preacher,  and  that  he  would  not  convert 


Surratt  House 
604  II  Street 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        129 

many  souls."1  If  those  named  in  the  alliterative  speci- 
fication did  uon  or  before  the  6th  day  of  March,  A.D. 
1865,  and  on  divers  other  days  and  times  between  that 
day  and  the  15th  day  of  April,  A.D.  1865,  combine, 
confederate  and  conspire  together,  at  Washington  City, 

*  *  *  there  being,  unlawfully,  maliciously,  and 
traitoriously  to  kill  and  murder  Abraham  Lincoln,     * 

*  *  and  Andrew  Johnson,"  Weichmann  by  his  con- 
stant and  intimate  association,  outside  and  inside  of  the 
house  of  conspiracy,  with  the  conspirators,  must  have 
known  of  the  conspiracy,  if  there  was  a  conspiracy  and 
by  his  knowledge  a  particeps  criminis  or  otherwise  he 
should  have  been  in  the  institution  for  the  keeping  of 
imbeciles.  Weichmann  after  the  murder  was,  at  once, 
arrested.  He  was  confined  in  Carroll  Prison,  thirty 
days,2  as  was  Lloyd.  He  was  in  the  control  of  agitation 
and  apprehension. 

By  the  lead  in  cross-examination  of  the  Hon.  Reverdy 
Johnson,  Weichmann  testified: 

"Mrs.  Surratt  rented  her  rooms  and  furnished  board. 
Persons  were  in  the  habit  of  coming  from  the  country 
and  stopping  at  her  house.  Mrs.  Surratt  was  always  very 
hospitable,  and  had  a  great  many  acquaintances,  and  they 
could  remain  as  long  as  they  chose.  During  the  whole 
time  I  have  known  her,  her  character,  as  far  as  I  could 
judge,  was  exemplary  and  ladylike  in  every  particular; 
and  her  conduct,  in  a  religious  and  moral  sense,  altogether 
exemplary.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church, 
and  a  regular  attendant  on  its  services.  I  generally 
accompanied  her  to  church  on  Sunday.  She  went  to  her 
religious  duties  at  least  every  two  weeks,  sometimes  early 
in  the  morning  and  sometimes  at  late  mass,  and  was 
apparently  doing  all  her  duties  to  God  and  man  up  to 
the  time  of  the  assassination." 


1  Military  Commission. 

2  Trial  of  John  H.  Surratt. 


130       Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

For  the  defense,  J.  Z.  Jenkins,  a  brother  of  Mrs. 
Surratt,  testified:  "She  has  never  to  my  knowledge, 
breathed  a  word  that  was  disloyal  to  the  Government; 
nor  have  I  ever  heard  her  make  any  remarks  showing  her 
to  have  knowledge  of  any  plan  or  conspiracy  to  capture 
or  assassinate  the  President  or  any  member  of  the  Gov- 
ernment. I  have  known  her  frequently  to  give  milk,  tea 
and  such  refreshments  as  she  had  in  her  house,  to  Union 
troops,  when  they  were  passing  *  *  *  I  recollect 
when  a  large  number  of  horses  escaped  from  Giesboro, 
many  of  them  were  taken  up  and  put  on  her  premises. 
These  horses  were  carefully  kept  and  fed  by  her  and 
afterward  all  were  given  up." 

Major  Smith  gave  to  the  commission  an  envelope  he 
found  at  the  Surratt  house.  It  contained  two  photo- 
graphs of  General  Beauregard,  one  of  Jefferson  Davis, 
one  of  Alexander  H.  Stephens  and  a  card  with  the  arms 
of  the  State  of  Virginia  and  two  Confederate  flags 
thereon  and  the  incription : 

"Thus  will  it  ever  be  with  tyrants, 
Virginia  the  Mighty, 
Sic  Semper  Tyrannis." 

Lieutenant  Dempsey1  found  a  photograph  of  J.  Wilkes 
Booth,  which  was  exhibited  at  the  trial.  Miss  Surratt,2 
the  daughter,  explained  that  she  bought  photographs  of 
Booth  at  a  daguerrean  gallery  when  she  was  there  to  get 
a  daguerreotype  of  herself.  That  her  father  gave  her 
the  photographs  with  others  of  the  leaders  of  the  rebel- 
lion. Also  at  the  house  were  photographs  of  Union 
Generals — Grant,  McClellan  and  Hooker. 

The  long  deliberations  of  the  commission  two  days 
show  dispute  and  debate.    At  any  rate  at  the  request  of 


*John  W.  Dempsey. 
'Anna  E.  Surratt. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        131 

one  of  the  Commission,  the  prosecutor,  Judge  Bingham, 
drafted  "the  suggestion:" 

"The  undersigned,  members  of  the  Military  Com- 
mission detailed  to  try  Mary  E.  Surratt  and  others  for 
the  conspiracy  and  the  murder  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  late 
President  of  the  United  States,  etc.,  respectfully  pray 
the  President,  in  consideration  of  the  sex  and  age  of 
the  said  Mary  E.  Surratt,  if  he  can,  upon  all  the  facts 
in  the  case,  find  it  consistent  with  his  sense  of  duty  to 
the  country  to  commute  the  sentence  of  death  which  the 
Court  have  been  constrained  to  pronounce,  to  imprison- 
ment in  the  penitentiary  for  life. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

D.  Hunter, 

Major  General,  President, 

August  V.  Kautz, 

Brigadier  and  Brevet  Major 
General 

R.  S.  Foster, 

Brigadier  and  Brevet  Major 
General 

James  A.  Ekin, 

Brevet  Brigadier  General,  Quarter- 
master GeneraVs  Office. 

Chas.  H.  Tompkins, 

Brevet  Colonel  and  Assistant 
Quartermaster." 

General  Ekin  copied  it  on  a  half-sheet  of  legal-cap 
paper,  and  the  five  of  the  nine  members  signed  the  copy. 
General  Ekin  kept  the  original. 

John  P.  Brophy  made  an  address  before  the  Friendly 
Sons  of  St.  Patrick  at  Delmonico's,  New  York,  January 
6,  1908,  on  the  Assassination  of  President  Lincoln.  He 
said  that  Weichmann  came  to  him  and  asked  what  effect 
his  testimony  had.    He  accused  him  of  attempting  to  kill 


132        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

an  innocent  woman.  Weichmann  admitted  his  belief  in 
her  innocence.  He  said  a  fellow  clerk  had  reported  his 
remarks  to  Secretary  Stanton  who  decided  Mrs.  Surratt 
guilty  and  demanded  that  he  turn  State's  evidence  or  take 
the  consequence  of  being  hanged.  "I  did  not  want  to  be 
hanged."  Weichmann  would  not  accede  to  his  solicita- 
tion that  he  go  to  Stanton  and  correct  the  error.  Holt 
would  not  permit  him,  Brophy,  to  testify  and  the  Intel- 
ligencer declined  to  publish  his  statement. 

The  Evening  Star 

Washington  City 

Thursday,  July  6,  1865. 


EXTRA 

The  Conspiracy 

The  Findings  of  the  Court. 

The  Sentences  Approved  by  the  President. 

SECOND   EDITION 

5  O'Clock  P.  M. 

"This  morning  General  Hancock  handed  the  death 
warrants  to  Major  General  Hartranft,  in  charge  of 
prisoners,  and  they  proceeded  to  the  prison,  where  they 
informed  the  prisoners  of  their  sentence.  General  Hart- 
ranft reading  the  warrants  in  each  case. 

"Payne  showed  no  emotion  as  he  expected  no  other 
sentence.  Atzerodt  tried  to  assume  an  indifferent  air 
but  vainly  as  shown  by  the  tell-tale  tremor  of  his  extrem- 
ities and  ashy  pallor  of  his  face.  The  sentence  was  a 
thunderbolt  to  Herold,  who  had  expected  nothing  more 
serious  than  a  short  term  in  the  penitentiary.  The 
frivolous  simper  deserted  his  face.  Mrs.  Surratt  was 
completely  unstrung." 

John  W.  Clampitt  in  the  North  American  Review, 
September,   1880. 

"About  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  6th  of 


Where  the  Trial  was  Held 

Second  Floor,  Window  at  Left 

(War  College  Grounds) 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        133 

July,  while  sitting  in  our  office1  awaiting  the  findings  of 
the  Commission,  we  were  suddenly  startled  by  the  cry  of 
the  newsboys  on  the  street,  "The  execution  of  Mrs. 
Surratt!" 

"We  found  to  our  dismay  that,  instead  of  an  acquittal 
or  at  most  a  temporary  confinement  of  our  client,  the 
judgment  of  the  Military  Commission  had  been  death, 
and  the  President  had  signed  her  death-warrant.  So 
sudden  was  the  shock,  so  unexpected  the  result,  amazed 
beyond  expression  at  the  celerity  of  the  order  of  execu- 
tion, we  hardly  knew  how  to  proceed." 

"Acting  upon  the  first  impulse,  we  went  hastily  to  the 
White  House  and  endeavored  to  have  an  interview  with 
the  President  *  *  *  Attempting  to  pass  inside  of 
the  main  doors  we  were  met  by  Preston  King,  of  New 
York,  who  pointing  to  the  guard  of  soldiers  stationed 
at  the  foot  of  the  staircase  with  fixed  bayonets,  informed 
us  that  it  was  'useless  to  attempt  an  issue  of  that  char- 
acter.' As  we  could  not  obtain  an  audience  with  the 
President,  the  aid  of  distinguished  gentlemen  was 
sought.    They,  too,  were  foiled. 

"It  must  not,  however,  be  forgottten  that  a  noble 
woman,  pushing  aside  the  bayonets  of  the  soldiers,  gained 
admission  to  the  President.  Alas !  her  burning  words 
and  queenly  presence  could  make  no  impression  for  the 
innocent.  I  refer  to  Mrs.  General  Williams,  at  that 
time  the  Widow  of  Senator  Douglas.2 

"Our  next  movement  was  in  company  with  the  daugh- 
ter to  go  to  the  Judge  Advocate  General  and  implore 
his  services  in  her  behalf.  Notwithstanding  he  had 
conducted  in  chief  the  trial,  we  thought,  touched  by  the 
unutterable  woe  of  the  poor  girl,  the  pitying  chords  of 
sympathy  might  find  a  responsive  echo  in  his  heart.  Our 
plea  was  in  vain.  His  heart  was  chilled,  his  soul 
impassive  as  marble.  Upon  her  bended  knees,  bathed 
in  tears,  the  forlorn  girl  besought  him  to  go  to  the 
President  and  beg  a  respite  for  three  days — three  days 
more  of  life  for  the  mother  about  to  be  murdered  by 

1  National  Intelligencer  Building,  N.W.  Cor.  7th  and  D  Streets. 

2  "The   beautiful   Addie    Cutts",   niece   of   Dolly    Madison. 


134        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

the  strong  arm  of  the  Government.  Finally,  to  close  the 
scene,  the  Judge-Advocate  General  agreed  to  meet  us  at 
the  Executive  Mansion  at  a  given  hour.  We  reached 
there  at  the  appointed  time.  He  had  gone  before  us, 
and  was  emerging  as  we  came  out. 

"He  said:  'I  can  do  nothing.  The  President  is 
immovable.  He  has  carefully  examined  the  findings  of 
the  Commission,  and  has  no  reason  to  change  the  date 
of  execution,  and  you  might  as  well  attempt  to  over- 
throw this  building  as  to  alter  his  decision.'  " 

Mr.  Brophy  says  that  in  this  crisis  he  prepared  an 
affidavit  of  Weichmann's  admission  but  was  frustrated 
in  the  presentation  by  the  military  guard.  The  attempts 
of  intercession  were  incessant  and  in  every  conceivable 
form. 

Mr.  Clampitt  in  the  North  American  Review. 

"When  the  order  came  from  the  Provost-Marshal  for 
her  to  ascend  the  scaffold,  and  after  the  sacrament  of 
extreme  unction  had  been  granted  by  the  priest,  and  he 
had  showed  her  eternity,  she  said  to  him,  'Holy  father, 
can  I  not  tell  these  people  before  I  die  that  I  am  inno- 
cent of  the  crime  for  which  I  have  been  condemned  to 
death?'  Father  Walter  replied:  'No,  my  child,  the 
world  and  all  that  is  in  it  has  now  receded  forever.  It 
would  do  no  good,  and  it  might  disturb  the  serenity  of 
your  last  moments.'  " 

General  Hartranft  on  the  morning  of  the  day  of  exe- 
cution dispatched  to  the  President  this  letter: 

"The  prisoner  Payne  has  just  told  me  that  Mrs, 
Surratt  is  entirely  innocent  of  the  assassination  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln,  or  of  any  knowledge  thereof.  He  also 
states  that  she  had  no  knowledge  whatever  of  the 
abduction  plot,  that  nothing  was  ever  said  to  her  about 
it,  and  that  her  name  was  never  mentioned  by  the  parties 
connected  therewith. 

"I  believe  that  Payne    has    told    the    truth    in  this 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        135 

The  condemned  faltered  except  Payne  who  was  stoical 
throughout.  To  the  parting  point,  Miss  Surratt 
remained  with  her  mother  and  the  seven  sisters  of 
Herold  with  him.  Atzerodt  made  a  statement  reiterative 
of  his  confession  besides  he  stated  the  abandoned  scheme 
of  abduction.  Mrs.  Surratt  had  the  ministerial  attend- 
ance of  Fathers  Walter  and  Wiget;  Payne  had  Rev. 
Dr.  Gillette,  Atzerodt  had  Dr.  Butler;  and  Herold  had 
Rev.  Dr.  Olds.1 

Mr.  Clampitt  in  the  North  American  Review: 
"It  was  alleged  on  the  trial  that  this  house  was  a 
secret  rendezvous  of  those  who  plotted  treason  against 
the  Government.  If  that  be  granted,  still  it  can  be 
asserted,  that  in  all  the  pages  of  the  record  of  that  trial, 
there  can  be  found  no  testimony  to  show  that  Mrs. 
Surratt  was  cognizant  of  the  same,  or  even  participated 
in  a  single  meeting.  The  testimony  of  Weichmann — 
the  one  whom  she  had  nurtured  as  a  son,  and  who 
falsely  swore  her  life  away  to  save  his  own — nowhere 
reveals  the  fact  that  she  ever  participated  in  any  plot, 
or  was  privy  to  the  knowledge  that  in  her  house  was 
planned  the  abduction  and  final  assassination  of  that 
great  man  whose  heart  beat  only  with  kindness  and  sym- 
pathy for  all." 

In  the  supplemental  affidavit,  Weichmann  states  that 
on  the  return  of  Mrs.  Surratt  and  himself  on  the  evening 
of  the  assassination,  she  said:  "Yes,  and  Booth  is 
crazy  on  one  subject,  and  I  am  going  to  scold  him  the 
next  time  I  see  him."  It  is  unreasonable  that  at  the  very 
moment  she  was  condemning  something  she  was  in  the 
act  of  furthering  that  something. 

Payne  while  in  prison  chided  himself  for  his  untimely 


*Rev.  Jacob  A.  Walter,  Pastor  St.  Patrick's,  Catholic;  Rev.  Bernard- 
ine  Wiget,  President,  Gonzaga  College;  Rev.  Abraham  D.  Gil- 
lette, Pastor,  First  Baptist;  Rev.  John  George  Butler,  Pastor,  St. 
Paul's  Lutheran ;  Rev.  Mark  L.  Olds,  Rector,  Christ  Church, 
Episcopal. 


136        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

return  to  the  Surratt  house  which  created  an  incident 
that  upon  Mrs.  Surratt  cast  the  appearance  of  guilt. 
Mr.  Clampitt  in  the  magazine  article  gives  interesting 
items  about  Payne.  J.  Harry  Shannon,  "The  Rambler/* 
in  the  Sunday  Star,  May  9,  1915,  says:  Payne  served 
in  the  Confederate  army  from  the  outbreak  of  the  war 
until  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  where  he  was  wounded 
and  taken  prisoner.  He  was  sent  to  a  military  hospital 
in  Baltimore  and  on  recovering  escaped,  and  reaching 
Virginia,  re-entered  the  Confederate  service.  In  January, 
1865,  he  deserted  and  returned  to  Baltimore.  He  was 
without  money  or  a  place  to  sleep  when  Booth  met  him 
in  Washington's  sister  city  and  enlisted  him  in  the  mad 
scheme  to  abduct  President  Lincoln,  which  scheme  devel- 
oped into  the  murder  plot." 

"By  a  Lady,  who  Enjoyed  the  Hospitalities  of  the 
Government  for  a  'Season'  ",  The  Old  Capitol  and  its 
Inmates  was  presented  anonymously.  The  lady  told  her 
experiences  in  connection  therewith  by  the  pen  of  Mattie 
Virginia  Sarah  Lindsay  who  had  the  pen  name,  Virginia 
Lomax.  The  lady  who  by  the  recital  applied  to  the 
Judge  Advocate  General  for  a  permit  to  visit  her  cousin 
in  the  Carroll  Prison  received  an  arrest  and  remained 
for  a  while  with  the  relative.  The  Carroll  Prison  was 
the  row  built  by  Daniel  Carroll  of  Duddington  which 
became  known  as  the  Duff  Green  Row.  Where  it  was 
is  the  Library  of  Congress.  All  names  have  in  the  nar- 
rative had  others  substituted  for  them  except  Mrs.  Sur- 
ratt and  Miss  Surratt.1  The  parts  that  relate  to  the 
Surratts  is  distressful  reading. 

Mary1  gave  me  the  following  account: 

"I  had  just  come  from  school,  and  father  not  keeping 
house  himself,  wished  to  place  me  in  some  nice  quiet 

1Miss  Honora  Fitzpatrick. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        137 

family.  A  friend  recommended  Mrs.  Surratt;  he  accord- 
ingly sent  me  there.  It  was  at  night  that  we  were  all 
arrested,  taken  to  the  Provost  Marshal's  office,  and  kept 
there  until  nearly  morning. 

To  the  question  if  she  was  frightened,  Mary  continued: 
"Yes,  indeed  we  were.  Anna  Surratt  was  going  to 
a  little  party,  and  had  just  begun  to  dress,  and  I  was 
helping  her,  when  we  were  sent  for  to  come  into  the 
parlor,  in  which  were  Mrs.  Surratt  and  several  strange 
men,  one  of  whom  stepped  up  and  said  we  were  all 
arrested,  and  must  go  with  them.  Mrs.  Surratt  asked 
them  to  wait  a  few  minutes,  and  she  knelt  down  and 
prayed,  the  men  taking  off  their  hats  while  she  did  so. 
She  then  arose,  saying  she  was  ready.  They  put  us  in 
an  ambulance  and  drove  to  the  Provost  Marshal's,  as 
you  know.  There,  poor  Anna  liked  to  have  gone  wild; 
her  mother  said  all  she  could  to  calm  her,  but  she  is  so 
excitable  and  hysterical  that  no  one  could  do  anything 
with  her.  She  asked  the  officer  how  he  dare  accuse  her 
mother  of  helping  Booth?  Just  about  day,  they  brought 
us  here,  and  put  us  in  the  rooms  up-stairs.  We  were 
there  three  days  at  the  end  of  which  time  I  was  released. 

Mary  was  re-arrested. 

"At  the  Provost  Marshal's  they  began  to  ask  me  all 
sorts  of  questions,  about  things  of  which  I  had  never 
even  heard,  and  finding  I  did  not  answer  as  they  wished, 
an  officer  asked  me,  'if  Mrs  Surratt  had  not  made  me 
take  an  oath  not  to  tell  anything?'  Then  they  put  me  in 
an  ambulance. 

"Mrs was  weeping  bitterly  at  the  departure 

of  her  husband,  when  a  lady  entered  the  room.  She  was 
apparently  about  forty  years  of  age,  a  tall  commanding 
figure,  rather  stout,  with  brown  hair,  blue  eyes,  thin  nose, 
and  small  well-shaped  mouth,  denoting  great  firmness. 
This  lady  was  Mrs.  Surratt. 

"She  took  her  seat  beside  my  weeping  cousin,  put  her 
arm  around  here  and  drew  her  head  on  her  shoulder; 
then  she  talked  to  her  in  a  most  consoling  manner,  and 
though  my  cousin  had  never  seen  her  before  the  imprison- 


138        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

ment  she  was  as  tender  and  kind  as  if  she  had  been  an 
old  friend.  There  was  a  calm,  quiet  dignity  about  the 
woman,  which  impressed  me  before  I  even  knew  who 
she  was.  She  mingled  very  little  with  the  other  prisoners, 
unless  they  were  sick  or  sorrowful,  then,  I  may  truly  say, 
she  was  an  angel  of  mercy.  After  that  day  I  saw  her 
often;  she  would  come  in  and  read  the  daily  papers. 

"On  one  occasion  I  remember,  one  of  the  papers  con- 
tained an  outrageous  account  of  herself  and  household, 
aspersing  both  her  character  and  reputation.  We  en- 
deavored to  withhold  the  paper  from  her  but  she  insisted 
on  reading  it.  I  watched  her  closely  while  doing  so, 
and  for  an  instant  a  flush  of  womanly  indignation  over- 
spread her  pale  countenance  at  the  insult.  After  she  had 
read  it,  she  laid  down  the  paper,  and,  clasping  her  hands, 
raised  her  eyes  to  Heaven  and  said,  'I  suppose  I  shall 
have  to  bear  it.' 

"I  cannot  omit  relating  one  incident  in  connection  with 
Mrs.  Surratt.  One  day,  a  woman,  apparently  a  prisoner, 
was  brought  in.  She  circulated  freely  among  the  inmates, 
and  was  very  talkative,  generally  selecting  the  assassina- 
tion as  her  subject.  She  was  also  very  confidential  and 
would  relate  marvellous  conversations  which  she  had 
with  H.  and  other  officials,  under  the  seal  of  secrecy. 
After  a  while  the  woman  was  taken  very  sick,  and  kind 
Mrs.  Surratt,  as  usual,  took  charge  of  her,  and  ministered 
to  her  necessities.  The  woman  recovered,  and  one  day, 
in  a  moment  of  impulse,  when  her  heart  was  filled  with 
gratitude,  she  threw  herself  on  her  knees  before  Mrs. 
Surratt  and  said,  'Oh,  Mrs.  Surratt  when  they  offered 
me  the  twenty-five  hundred  dollars  to  find  out  I  did  not 
know  what  to  do.     I  was  penniless,  and — ' 

"Never  mind  now/  said  Mrs.  Surratt,  interrupting 
and  raising  her  from  her  knees,  'we  will  talk  of  some- 
thing else.' 

"The  woman  made  no  further  allusion  to  the  matter, 
and  shortly  after  left  the  prison. 

"Nelson  appeared  with  a  soldier  and  said. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        139 

"Mrs.  Surratt,  you  are  wanted.  You  will  put  on 
your  bonnet  and  cloak,  if  you  please,  and  follow  me. 

"Nelson  then  stepped  forward  and  gently  disengag- 
ing the  weeping  girl  who  clung  so  tenaciously  to  her 
mother,  took  Mrs.  Surratt  by  the  arm  and  led  her  down 
stairs,  out  of  the  door  and  into  the  carriage     *     *     * 
We  never  saw  Mrs.  Surratt  again. 

"None  of  us  thought  that  Mrs.  Surratt  had  been  taken 
away  to  remain,  and  we  sat  up  the  entire  night,  watching 
and  waiting  for  her  return — Mary  and  myself  in  our 
room,  our  faces  as  near  to  the  window  as  we  dared,  strain- 
ing our  eyes  to  see  the  entrance  to  the  yard,  hoping  to 
catch  a  glimpse  of  Mrs.  Surratt  should  she  be  brought 
back  and  confined  in  another  part  of  the  prison,  which 
we  deemed  likely.  As  one  would  become  tired,  the  other 
would  take  her  place,  and  so  we  watched  until  day 
dawned. 

"After  a  week  had  elapsed  *  *  *  He  told  us 
that  Mrs.  Surratt  had  been  taken  on  board  of  a  gunboat, 
lying  in  front  of  the  arsenal,  in  the  hold  of  which  she, 
and  the  other  prisoners  implicated  in  the  assassination, 
were  confined  in  perfect  darkness  and  solitude.  *  * 
*  That  was  the  first  intimation  we  had  that  Mrs.  Sur- 
ratt's  life  was  endangered.  We  had  supposed  that  she 
might  be  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for  life,  or  some- 
thing similar,  but  we  did  not  realize  that  she  was  doomed 
to  a  violent  death."1 

The  President  of  Mrs.  Surratt  said,  so  it  is  reported, 
"She  kept  the  nest  that  hatched  the  egg."  Mr.  Burton 
of  the  National  Hotel,  says:  "Booth  asked  me  if  I 
could  let  him  have  a  vacant  room  to  'hold  a  meeting.' 
I  said  he  could;  if  he  would  tell  me  a  few  hours  in  advance, 
anytime  I  would  have  a  fire  made  and  a  room  put  in  read- 

1  Of  those  mentioned: 

"Reverend  Father  W. — the  kind,  truly  Catholic  clergyman" — 
was  Rev.  Jacob  A.  Walter.  Miss  Lewis  was  Mary  J.  Windle,  the 
author  of  Life  in  Washington,  etc. 


140        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

iness  for  him.  But  he  never  asked  it.  I  suppose  if  I  had 
given  him  the  room,  I  would  have  been  hanged  in  Mrs. 
Surratt's  stead — that  it  would  have  been  of  me  not  of  her 
President  Johnson  would  have  said,  'he  kept  the  nest 
that  hatched  the  egg.'  "  * 

The  extracts  from  the  Diary  of  Gideon  Welles,  Sec- 
retary of  the  Navy,  indicate  that  the  President  had  been 
too  ill  to  attend  the  Cabinet  until  Friday,  the  day  of  the 
execution.  The  Secretary  makes  no  mention  of  the  con- 
sideration of  the  findings  of  the  Commission  which  likely 
he  would  have  had  there  been  any.  The  diary  corre- 
sponds exactly  with  the  daily  newspaper  reports.  Between 
the  President  and  the  Secretary,  and  their  families,  were 
intimacy  and  friendship. 

"1865,  July  8,  Saturday.  The  week  has  been  one 
of  intense  heat,  and  I  have  been  both  busy  and  indolent. 
Incidents  have  passed  without  daily  record.  The  Presi- 
dent has  been  ill.  On  Friday  I  met  him  at  the  Cabinet. 
He  has  been  threatened,  Dennison  tells  me,  with  apo- 
plexy.    So  the  President  informed  him. 

"July  9th.  I  yesterday  proposed  to  the  President  to 
take  a  short  excursion  down  the  river.  He  is  pale  and 
languid.  It  it  a  month  since  he  came  to  the  Executive 
Mansion  and  he  has  never  yet  gone  outside  the  doors. 
I  told  him  this  would  not  answer,  that  no  constitution 
would  endure  such  labor  and  close  confinement." 

That  day  the  President  and  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Pat- 
terson, her  two  children,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  and 
Mrs.  Welles  and  their  two  sons,  with  others,  proceeded 
down  the  Potomac  below  Aquia  Creek. 

Some  of  the  books  on  the  assassination  state  that  the 
Cabinet  in  full  session  approved  the  sentences.  There 
was  no  submission  to  the  Cabinet  or  action  by  it.     The 


1  Walter  Burton,   The  Sunday  Star,  January  24,   1909. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        141 

one  paragraph  which  contains  the  sentences  of  all  is  in 
the  handwriting  of  Holt.1 

The  Civil  War  was  closed.  The  federal  and  the  con- 
federate soldiers  were  returning  to  their  homes  and  to 
their  business  life.  The  President  had  removed  the  com- 
mercial restrictions  for  the  States  east  of  the  Mississippi. 
A  civil  court  would  have  had  a  spirit  of  nearer  approach 
to  calmness  and  better  judgment  than  a  military  court. 
The  defendants  had  not  a  presentment  or  indictment  by 
a  grand  jury;  they  were  not  of  the  land  and  naval  forces, 
nor  of  the  militia  when  in  actual  service,  in  time  of  war; 
they  had  not  a  trial  by  an  impartial  jury  of  the  State 
and  district  wherein  the  crime  shall  have  been  committed 
— and  therefore,  their  conviction  by  a  military  commission 
was  in  violation  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States.2 
The  Attorney  General,  Mr.  Speed,  in  an  opinion  of  the 
indefinite  date,  "July..,  1865,"  assured  the  President 
the  military  tribunal  was  the  proper  one.  The  Attorney 
General  says  he  gave  the  question  the  patient  and  earnest 
consideration  its  magnitude  and  importance  require  which 
may  not  be  doubted  and  also  that  the  patience  and  con- 
sideration as  the  date  seems  to  indicate  even  if  it  had 
resulted  in  a  different  conclusion  could  have  been  of  no 
benefit  to  the  vitally  concerned  because  they  were  already 
dead. 

The  military  tribunals,  organized  to  convict,  already 
condemned  by  public  opinion,  were  by  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  United  States  in  Ex  Parte  Milligan3,  at  the  Decem- 
ber term,  1866,  declared  unconstitutional  for  the  reasons 
partially  stated  in  a  preceding  paragraph;  and  the  case 
involved  the  identical  issues  as  the  alleged  conspirators' 


1DeWitt:  Assassination.    Holt  papers,  Library  of  Congress,  MSS.  Div. 
2  Amendments.     Articles  V  and  VI. 
3Lambdin   P.   Milligan. 


142        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

case  and  the  denial  to  the  defendants  in  the  latter  of  the 
right  of  hearing  under  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus  as  in  the 
former  was  an  error. 

The  testimony  of  Weichmann  at  the  John  H.  Surratt 
trial  amplified  that  given  before  the  Commission.  His 
statements  have  not  the  consonance  of  human  nature  and 
truth.  Some  of  his  odd  statements  are  repeated.  "I 
was  under  a  police  officer  all  the  time  but  never  con- 
sidered myself  arrested."  He  claimed  loyalty  and  "I 
have  talked  secesh  very  often  in  my  life  for  buncombe." 
He  excused  his  association  with  Booth :  "Anyone,  before 
the  assassination,  would  have  been  glad  to  associate  with 
Mr.  Booth.  He  was  an  accomplished  gentleman,  and 
moved  in  good  society."  He  denied  the  claimed  con- 
fessions to  Brophy  and  Carland. 

Two  witnesses  testified  at  this  trial  that  at  the  Carroll 
Prison  they  overheard  the  officers  there  say  to  Weich- 
mann, "Unless  you  testify  to  more  I  will  hang  you." 
These  witnesses,  James  J.  Gifford  and  James  L.  Maddox, 
were  being  held  in  the  prison  as  witnesses  in  the  con- 
spiracy case. 

Lewis  J.  Carland  at  the  same  trial: 

"Witness  knows  Lewis  J.  Weichmann.  He  took  a 
walk  with  him  in  the  spring  of  1865,  and  called  on  Mr. 
Brophy.  Weichmann  said  he  was  much  troubled  about 
the  testimony  he  had  given  on  the  conspiracy  trial.  He 
said  he  was  going  to  confession,  and  wanted  to  relieve 
his  conscience.  Witness  advised  him  to  go  to  a  magis- 
trate and  make  an  affidavit.  He  said  that  if  he  had  been 
let  alone  it  would  have  been  different  with  Mrs.  Surratt; 
that  he  was  forced  to  swear  as  he  had  and  he  had  sworn 
to  a  paper  under  threats  of  being  charged  with  being  one 
of  the  conspirators.  He  said  also  that  a  man  told  him 
that  he  had  been  talking  in  his  sleep  and  had  written  out 
his  statements  and  he  must  swear  to  it." 

Mr.  Brophy  was  at  the  time  connected  with  Gonzaga 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        143 

College.     Mr.  Merrick,1  counsel  for  Surratt,  in  his  clos- 
ing argument,  August  1,   1867,  said: 

"Where  is  your  record  of  that  Military  Commission 
at  the  Arsenal?  Why  did  you  not  bring  it  in?  Did  you 
find  anything  at  the  end  of  it  you  did  not  like?  We 
would  not  have  objected.  We  would  like  to  know  all 
about  those  secrets.  Did  you  find  at  the  end  of  that 
record  a  recommendation  to  mercy  for  Mrs.  Surratt, 
which  the  President  never  saw?  Who  of  you  forget  the 
day  when  those  people  were  hung,  and  your  honor,  be 
it  said  to  your  credit,  raised  your  judicial  hand  to  prevent 
that  murder,  a  heart  stricken  daughter  went  to  the  Exec- 
utive Mansion  to  seek  for  respite  for  that  poor  mother. 
Why  did  she  not  get  to  the  President?  Why  did  you  not 
prove  it?  Oh,  my  God,  that  my  country  should  come  to 
this!  Who  stood  between  her  and  the  seat  of  mercy? 
Does  memory  haunt  the  Secretary  of  War?  Or  is  it  true 
that  one  who  stood  between  her  and  the  President  now 
sleeps  in  the  dark  waters  of  the  Hudson,  Whilst  another 
died  by  his  own  wretched  hand  in  Kansas?  You  know 
that  accusations  have  been  brought  against  Judge  Holt, 
the  Secretary  of  War,  and  Mr.  Bingham,  in  the  lower 
House  of  Congress." 

The  two  who  guarded  from  approach  to  the  President 
were  Preston  King  of  New  York  and  General  James 
Henry  Lane  of  Kansas.  Shortly  after  the  execution, 
November  13,  1865,  Mr.  King  weighted  his  body  with 
shot  and  jumped  to  death  in  the  Hudson.  General  Lane 
cut  his  throat,  July  11,  1866. 

Judge  Pierrepont2,  August  3,  with  a  show  of  temper, 
produced  the  recommendation. 

The  Evening  Star,  August  5,  1867: 

"Mrs.  Surratt.  The  Washington  Agent  for  the  Asso- 
ciated Press  telegraphs  as  follows : 

"Judge  Pierrepont,  in  his  address  to  the  jury  yesterday, 
said: — 'When  it  was  suggested  by  some  of  the  members 

Richard  T.  Merrick. 

2  Edward   Pierrepont. 


144        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

of  the  Military  Commission  that  in  consequence  of  the 
age  and  sex  of  Mrs.  Surratt  it  might  possibly  be  right 
to  change  her  sentence  to  imprisonment  for  life,  he  signed 
the  warrant  for  her  death  with  the  paper  right  before  his 
eyes.'  Judge  P.  must  have  been  misinformed,  as  the 
President  was  not  aware  until  two  months  ago,  through 
a  private  source,  that  any  of  the  members  of  the  Military 
Commission  joined  in  a  recommendation  or  suggestion 
that  the  sentence  of  death  passed  upon  Mrs.  Surratt  be 
commuted  to  imprisonment.  This  information  was  pri- 
vately given  to  him  before  the  trial  of  John  H.  Surratt. 
He  then  denied,  as  he  now  denies,  that  the  recommenda- 
tion or  suggestion  was  ever  officially  brought  to  his  atten- 
tion." 

Notes  of  Colonel  W.  G.  Moore,  Private  Secretary  to 
President  Johnson. 

"August  5,   1867.     Mrs.  Surratt. 

"The  President,  having  heard  that  there  was  a  recom- 
mendation in  favor  of  Mrs.  Surratt,  sent  today  for  the 
papers  upon  which  was  endorsed  his  approval  of  the 
finding  and  sentence  of  the  Military  Commission  for  the 
trial  of  the  assassination  conspirators.  Forwarded  with 
the  papers  was  a  recommendation  of  the  Court  for  a 
commutation  of  the  sentence  in  the  case  of  Mrs.  Surratt 
from  hanging  to  imprisonment  for  life.  The  President 
very  empatically  declared  that  he  had  never  before  seen 
the  recommendation.  He  was  positive  that  it  had  never 
before  been  brought  to  his  knowledge  or  notice,  and 
explained  to  me  the  circumstances  attending  the  signing 
of  the  order  to  carry  into  effect  the  sentence  of  the 
commission.  He  distinctly  remembered  the  great  reluc- 
tance with  which  he  approved  the  death  warrant  of  a 
woman  of  Mrs.  Surratt's  age,  and  that  he  asked  Judge 
Advocate  General  Holt,  who  originally  brought  to  him 
the  papers,  many  questions,  but  that  nothing  whatever 
was  said  to  him  respecting  the  recommendations  of  the 
Commission  for  clemency  in  her  case.  He  had  been  sick, 
but  when  he  signed  the  papers  his  mind  was  as  clear  as 
it  had  ever  been.  Besides,  the  recommendation  did  not 
appear  in  the  published  proceedings  of  the  trial,  by  Benn 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        145 

Pitman,  prepared  and  issued  by  the  authority  of  the 
Secretary  of  War,  and  he  felt  satisfied  that  it  had  been 
designedly  withheld  from  his  (the  President's)  knowl- 
edge." 

The  same  day  Mr.  Moore  made  the  note  above  quoted 
he  delivered  to  Mr.  Stanton  the  letter  which  the  Presi- 
dent directed  him  to  write  in  these  terms: 

"August  1,  1867. 
"Sir:     Public  considerations  of  a  high  character  con- 
strain me  to  say  that  your  resignation  as  Secretary  of 
War  will  be  accepted. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 
Andrew  Johnson." 
"To  the  Honorable  Edwin  M.  Stanton,  etc."1 

David  Miller  DeWitt  is  the  author  of  The  Assassina- 
tion of  Abraham  Lincoln  and  its  Expiation.  It  deals 
with  the  so-called  conspiracy  and  the  sacrifice  of  an 
alleged  conspirator  with  directness.  The  statements 
are  fortified  by  facts.  The  facts  are  the  result  of  re- 
search of  the  original  records — not  book  repetition. 

"If  among  those  drawn  into  the  whirlpool  set  up  by 
so  sudden  a  subversion  of  the  current  of  human  affairs, 
there  were  any  suffered  an  unjust  doom,  their  innocence 
should  be  made  clear  beyond  further  question." 

In  an  ironical  interchange  in  the  House  of  Representa- 


^'William  George  Moore  was  born  November  30,  1829,  and  died 
July  22,  1898.  He  served  as  a  private,  corporal  and  sergeant  in  the 
National  Rifles,  District  of  Columbia  Volunteers,  April  15  to  July  15, 
1861.  From  May  1,  1865  to  November  5,  1866,  he  was  assistant  adjutant- 
general  of  volunteers,  with  the  rank  of  major.  November  14,  1866  he 
was  appointed  paymaster  with  the  rank  of  major,  but  his  testimony  at 
the  impeachment  trial  showed  that  his  real  function  was  that  of  private 
secretary  to  the  President.  December  2,  1865,  he  was  commissioned 
brevet  lieutenant-colonel  and  colonel  of  volunteers,  and  March  2,  1867, 
lieutenant-colonel  in  the  U.  S.  Army  for  faithful  and  meritorious  service. 
He  resigned  April  12,  1870.  In  December,  1886,  he  was  appointed  major 
and  superintendent  of  police  of  the  District  of  Columbia  and  retained 
this  office  until  the  time  of  his  death." — St.  George  L.  Sioussat  of 
Vanderbilt  University  in  the  American  Historical  Review,  October,  1913. 


146        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

tives,  March  21,  1867,  Judge  Bingham  to  General  Butler 
made  the  reference : 

"I  repel  with  scorn  and  contempt  any  utterance  of  that 
sort  from  any  man,  whether  he  be  the  hero  of  Fort  Fisher 
not  taken,  or  of  Fort  Fisher  taken." 

The  Judge  made  a  mistake  by  the  reference  for  he 
received  in  exchange  the  severe  retort  from  the  General : 

"The  gentleman  has  the  bad  taste  to  attack  me  for 
the  reason  that  I  could  not  do  any  more  injury  to  the 
enemies  of  my  country.  I  agree  to  that.  I  did  all  I 
could,  the  best  I  could  *  *  *  But  the  only  victim 
of  the  gentleman's  prowess  that  I  know  of  was  an  inno- 
cent woman  hung  upon  the  scaffold,  one  Mrs.  Surratt. 
And  I  can  sustain  the  memory  of  Fort  Fisher  if  he  and 
his  present  associates  can  sustain  him  in  shedding  the 
blood  of  a  woman  tried  by  a  military  commission  and 
convicted  without  sufficient  evidence  in  my  judgment." 

Replied  the  Judge: 

"I  *  *  *  acted  as  the  advocate  of  the  United 
States.  *  *  *  What  does  the  gentleman  know  of 
the  evidence  in  the  case  and  what  does  he  care  for  the 
evidence  when  he  thus  assails  the  official  conduct  of  the 
men  who  constituted  the  court?" 

The  Judge  in  his  reply  fell  into  the  General's  trap. 

March  26,  1867, — "I  hold  in  my  hand  the  evidence  as 
reported  under  the  gentleman's  official  sanction  *  * 
*  The  statement  I  made  the  other  day  was  not  sporadic 
thought  with  me;  it  was  the  result  of  a  careful  examina- 
tion of  the  case  for  another  and  a  different  purpose,  in  the 
endeavor  to  ascertain  who  were  concerned  in  fact  in  the 
great  conspiracy  to  assassinate  President  Lincoln. 

uThe  gentleman  says  he  was  'the  advocate  of  the 
United  States  only'.  Sir,  he  makes  a  wide  mistake  as  to 
his  official  position.  He  was  the  special  judge  advocate 
whose  duty  it  was  to  protect  the  rights  of  the  prisoner 
as  well  as  the  rights  of  the  United  States,  and  to  sum  up 
the  evidence  and  state  the  law  as  would  a  judge  on  the 
bench.  Certainly,  it  was  his  duty  to  present  to  the  com- 
mission all  the  evidence  bearing  upon  the  case. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        147 

"Now  there  was  a  piece  of  evidence  within  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  special  judge  advocate  and  in  his  possession 
which  he  did  not  produce  on  this  most  momentous  trial 

*  *  *  That  diary,  as  now  produced  has  eighteen 
pages  cut  out,  the  pages  prior  to  the  time  when  Lincoln 
was  massacred,  although  the  edges  as  yet  show  they  had 
all  been  written  over.  Now,  what  I  want  to  know  is  this : 
was  that  diary  whole  when  it  came  into  the  hands  of  the 
Government?  Second,  if  it  was  good  judgment  on  the 
part  of  the  gentlemen  prosecuting  the  assassins  of  the 
President  to  put  in  evidence  the  tobacco-pipe  which  was 
found  in  Booth's  pocket,  why  was  not  the  diary,  in  his 
own  handwriting  put  in  evidence,  and  wherein  he  himself 
had  detailed  the  particulars  of  that  crime? 

"And  therefore  I  did  not  charge  the  able  and  gallant 
soldiers  who  sat  in  that  court  with  having  done  any 
wrong.  They  did  not  see  the  diary.  They  did  not  know 
of  the  diary.  If  they  had  they  might  have  given  a  dif- 
ferent finding  upon  the  matter  of  the  conspiracy. 

"Who  spoliated  that  book?  Who  suppressed  that 
evidence?  Who  caused  an  innocent  woman  to  be  hung 
when  he  had  in  his  pocket  the  diary  which  stated  at  least 
what  was  the  idea  and  purpose  of  the  main  conspirator 
in  the  case. 

"I  will  state  here  *  *  *  that  I  understand  the 
theory  to  be  that  that  evidence  was  not  produced  lest 
Booth's  glorification  of  himself,  as  found  in  his  diary, 
should  go  before  the  country.  I  think  that  a  lame  excuse. 
If  an  assassin  can  glorify  himself  let  him  do  so  *  * 
*  I  believe  that  piece  of  evidence  would  have  shown 
what  the  whole  case,  in  my  judgment,  now  shows :  that 
up  to  a  certain  hour  Booth  contemplated  to  capture  and 
abduction,  and  that  he  afterward  changed  his  purpose  to 
assassination  on  consultation  with  the  conspirators  about 
him. 

"Mrs.  Surratt  may  or  may  not  have  known  of  that 
purpose  from  abduction  to  assassination.  Now,  what 
I  find  fault  with  in  the  judge  advocate,  who  did  not  sum 
up  for  the  prisoner,  is  that  in  his  very  able  and  bitter 
argument  against  the  prisoners  no  notice  is  taken     *     * 


148        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

*  of  this  change  of  purpose  and  brought  to  the  atten- 
tion of  the  men  who  composed  that  military  tribunal. 
And  if  Mrs.  Surratt  did  not  know  of  this  change  of 
purpose  there  is  no  evidence  that  she  knew  in  any  way  of 
the  assassination,  and  ought  not,  in  my  judgment,  to 
have  been  convicted  of  taking  part  in  it. 

"How  clear  himself?1  By  disclosing  his  accomplices? 
Who  were  they?  *  *  *  If  we  had  only  the  advan- 
tage of  all  the  testimony  Mr.  Speaker,  we  might  have 
been  able  *  *  *  to  find  who,  indeed,  were  the 
accomplices  of  Booth;  to  find  who  it  was  that  changed 
Booth's  purpose  from  capture  to  assassination;  who  it 
was  that  could  profit  by  assassination  who  could  not 
profit  by  capture  and  abduction  of  the  President;  who  it 
was  expected  by  Booth  would  succeed  to  Lincoln  if  the 
knife  made  a  vacancy. 

"Although  in  some  aspects  of  the  case  it  might  not  have 
been  legal  evidence,  yet  in  all  aspects  it  is  moral  evi- 
dence, carrying  conviction  to  the  moral  sense.  It  is  the 
dying  declaration  of  a  man,  assassin  though  he  be,  who 
was  speaking  the  truth  probably  to  himself,  as  between 
himself  and  his  God."a 

Lafayette  C.  Baker  in  his  History  of  the  Secret  Service 
mentions  Booth's  diary  and  a  direful  experience  of  the 
fugitive  it  contained.  At  the  Johnson  Impeachment 
Investigation,  he  testified  that  it  had  been  delivered  to 
Stanton;  that  at  the  time  of  the  delivery  no  leaves  were 
missing;  there  were  no  stubs;  the  book  was  intact.3 

Diary  of  Gideon  Welles: 

"1867,  May  16.  The  President  submitted  to  us  the 
letters  of  Judge  Holt  and  Stanton  in  regard  to  Booth's 
diary  and  a  copy  of  the  contents,  and  inquired  what  we 
thought  of  its  publication.  I  asked  what  objections  there 
could  be.    It  was  a  great  mystery  and  was  construed  to 


1  "I  have  a  greater  desire  and  almost  a  mind  to  return  to  Washington 
and  in  a  measure  clear  my  name,  which  I  feel  I  can  do."  Booth's 
Diary. 

'Congressional  Globe   1st  Sess.  40th  Congress  pp.  263,  363-4. 

3  Impeachment   Investigation,   1867,  pp.  449   et  seq.  458. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        149 

mean  whatever  diseased  imagination  might  conceive. 
Randall x  thought  as  I  did.  The  President  said  Stanton 
was  violently  opposed  to  its  publication." 

At  the  date,  August  7th,  the  same  year,  Mr.  Welles, 
after  writing  that  Stanton  could  no  more  become  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  than  the  Sultan  of  Turkey, 
wrote  some  criticisms:  "After  the  others  had  gone  out, 
I  had  half  an  hour  with  the  President,  who  requested  me 
to  stay.  Advised  him  to  remove  Holt  with  Stanton. 
It  would  be  more  effective  and  proper  to  remove  the  two 
together.  I  looked  upon  both  as  conspirators,  as  having 
contributed  more  than  any  others  to  the  embarrassment 
of  the  Administration.  They  had  each  a  personal  interest 
in  preventing  a  restoration  of  the  Union,  for,  having 
been  associated  in  Buchanan's  Cabinet,  where  one  played, 
to  say  the  least  an  equivocal  and  the  other  a  treacher- 
ous game  towards  the  South,  they  dread  a  reconciled 
Union." 

"No    tortures    which    the    poets    feign 
Can  match  the  fierce,  unutterable  pain 
He  feels,  who  night  and  day  devoid  of  rest 
Carries  his  own  accuser  in  his  breast." 

— Gifford. 
"Doth  protest  too  much,  methinks." 
— Shakespeare. 

Not  so  many  years  since  the  writer  heard  it  said  that 
the  unbidden  spirit  of  Mrs.  Surratt  was  Judge  Holt's 
frequent  guest  and  was  as  much  a  plague  to  him  as 
Banquo's  ghost  was  to  Macbeth  at  the  latter's  feast. 
Long  since  when  the  writer  was  a  youth  of  thirteen  he 
often  saw  Judge  Holt.  He  was  a  massive  man  with  a 
wealth  of  grayish-white  hair  and  with  shaggy  eyebrows. 
In  the  recess  or  in  the  shade  of  the  roofed  portico  along- 


1  Alexander  W.  Randall. 


150        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

side  of  the  L  of  his  residence*  he  sat — silent,  solemn, 
sombre.  He  looked  the  personification  of  gloom.  He 
was  disturbed.     He  would 

"Rase  out  the  written  troubles  of  the  brain." 

— Shakespeare. 

He  prepared  an  elaborate  vindication.  It  appeared  in 
the  Daily  Morning  Chronicle;  it  bore  date,  August  25, 
1873;  it  was  written  on  paper  which  had  the  heading: 

"War  Department, 
Bureau  of  Military  Justice." 
"I  beg  the  privilege  of  your  columns  for  the  purpose 
of  laying  before  the  loyal  public  the  subjoined  letter  by 
myself  to  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  War,  with  its  accom- 
panying papers,  and  the  Secretary's  reply  thereto.  The 
correspondence  relates  to  a  slander  which  had  its  origin 
and  fulfilled  its  base  mission  years  ago;  having  claimed, 
in  its  circulation,  the  authority  of  the  then  acting  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States.  I  am  well  assured  that  it  lingers 
yet  in  certain  unfriendly  circles,  where  it  still  find  a  blind 
or  a  malignant  support.  Since  the  day  of  my  communica- 
tion to  the  Secretary  of  War  I  have  received  a  letter  from 
General  Mussey,  full  of  extracts  from  which  are  ap- 
pended. It  will  be  seen  that  he  entirely  substantiates 
the  position  maintained  throughout  my  defense,  that 
President  Johnson  had  knowledge  of,  considered,  and 
commented  on  the  recommendation  of  Mrs.  Surratt  in 
clemency  by  the  members  of  the  court  before  her  execu- 
tion. Inviting  a  candid  and  careful  scrutiny  of  the  evi- 
dence now  produced  in  my  exoneration  I  leave  this 
aspersion  for  such  judgment  as  those  who  love  the  truth 
and  do  justice  may  think  proper  to  pronounce  upon  it. 

"J.  Holt." 

Daily  Morning  Chronicle.     November  12,   1873. 
"To  the  Editor  of  the  Chronicle: 

"  In  your  paper  of  the  26th  August  last,  Joseph  Holt, 
Judge  Advocate  General  of  the  Army,  lays  before  the 
'loyal  public'  certain  correspondence  with  respect  to  the 

1  Allen  C.  Clark:    Greenleaf  and  Law  in  the  Federal  City,  p.  251. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        151 

case  of  Mary  E.  Surratt,  executed  on  the  7th  day  of  July 
1865,  as  one  of  the  assassins  of  President  Lincoln. 
Judge  Holt's  so-called  vindication  did  not  reach  me  until 
some  weeks  after  its  publication,  and  a  reply  on  my  part 
has  been  delayed  by  sickness  and  other  causes,  which 
need  not  here  be  mentioned. 

******* 

"The  record  of  the  court  was  submitted  to  me  by  Judge 
Holt  in  the  afternoon  of  the  5th  day  of  July,  1865. 
Instead  of  entering  the  Executive  Mansion  by  the  usual 
way,  he  gained  admission  by  the  private  or  family  en- 
trance to  the  Executive  office.  The  examination  of  the 
papers  took  place  in  the  library,  and  he  and  I  alone  were 
present.  The  sentences  of  the  court  in  the  cases  of 
Herold,  Atzerodt,  and  Payne  were  considered  in  the 
order  named,  and  then  the  sentence  in  the  case  of  Mrs. 
Surratt.  In  acting  upon  her  case  no  recommendation 
for  a  commutation  of  her  punishment  was  mentioned  or 
submitted  to  me;  but  the  question  of  her  sex  which  had 
already  been  adverted  to  and  discussed  in  the  newspaper 
columns  presented  itself  and  was  commented  upon  both 
by  Judge  Holt1  and  myself.  With  peculiar  force  and  so- 
lemnity he  urged  that  the  fact  that  the  criminal  was  a 
woman  was  in  itself  no  excuse  or  palliation,  that  when  a 
woman  'unsexed  herself  and  entered  the  arena  of  crime, 
it  was  rather  an  aggravation  than  a  mitigation  of  the 
offense;  that  the  law  was  not  made  to  punish  men  only, 
but  all  without  regard  to  sex,  who  violated  its  provisions; 
that  to  discriminate  in  favor  of  Mrs.  Surratt  and  against 
Herold,  Atzerodt  and  Payne,  who  were  sentenced  by  the 
same  court  at  the  same  time  to  suffer  the  penalty  of 
death,  would  be  to  offer  a  premium  to  the  female  sex  to 
engage  in  crime  and  become  principal  actors  in  its  com- 
mission; that  since  the  rebellion  began,  in  some  portions 
of  the  country,  females  had  been  prominent  in  aiding  and 
abetting  traitors,  and  he  thought  the  time  had  come  when 
it  was  absolutely  necessary,  in  a  case  so  clearly  and  con- 
clusively established,  to  set  an  example  which  would 
have  a  salutary  influence.   He  was  not  only  in  favor  of 


152        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

the  approval  of  the  sentence,  but  of  its  execution  at  the 
earliest  practicable  day. 

"Upon  the  termination  of  our  consultation  Judge 
Holt  wrote  the  order  approving  the  sentences  of  the 
court,  I  affixed  my  name  to  it,  and,  rolling  up  the  papers, 
he  took  his  leave,  carrying  the  record  with  him,  and 
departing,  as  he  had  come,  through  the  family  or  private 

entrance. 

******* 

"It  being  absolutely  certain  that  if  the  petition  was 
attached  to  the  original  record  before  it  was  submitted 
to  the  President,  it  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  printed 
record  authorized  by  Judge  Holt  and  certified  by  Colonel 
Burnett,  Special  Judge  Advocate  of  the  commission,  the 
question  arises,  which  of  the  two  is  authentic  and  genu- 
ine? If  the  record  in  possession  of  the  Judge  Advocate 
General  is  true,  then  that  is  false  which  he  has  given  to 
the  public.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  record  published 
with  his  official  sanction  is  true,  then  that  in  his  bureau  is 
false  necessarily.  Judge  Holt  is  at  liberty  to  accept  either 
alternative,  and  to  escape  as  he  may  the  inevitable  con- 
clusion that  he  did  not  only  fail  to  submit  the  petition 
to  the  President,  but  suppressed  and  withheld  it  from  the 
official  history  of  the  most  important  trial  in  the  annals 
of  the  nation. 

"Andrew  Johnson." 
"Washington,  D.  C,  Nov.  11,  1873."1 

Memory  and  veracity  are  involved  in  the  controversy. 


a1865.  "July  6.  *  *  *  The  President  having  nearlv  recovered 
from  his  indisposition,  yesterday  invited  Judge  Advocate  General  to 
the  White  House,  and  after  mature  deliberation,  the  President  approved 
the  findings  and  sentences  in  each  case  as  rendered  by  the  Commission." 
Trial  of  the  Assassins  and  Conspirators.  T.  B.  Peterson  and  Brothers, 
p.  205. 

The  above  publication  of  1865  from  the  reports  of  the  special  corres- 
pondent of  the  Philadelphia  Daily  Inquirer  give  more  than  any  other 
the  details,  generally  gruesome,  of  the  execution.  From  the  publication 
it  appears  in  the  brief  time  the  President  sent  out  to  all  the  petitioners 
and  supplicants  reference  to  Judge  Holt  with  the  inference  he  would 
abide  by  his  decision.  In  the  habeas  corpus  hearing  to  a  reluctant 
court,  Attorney  General  Speed  gave  as  an  excuse  for  the  violation  of 
the  constitutional  law,  the  untruth,  "the  country  is  now  in  the  midst  of 
a  great  war."  Nothing  appears  of  the  suppresed  suggestion  of  a  change 
of  sentence. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        153 

The  conference  was  between  the  two  without  witnesses. 
The  absolute  truth  was  known  only  to  the  two  and  with 
their  burial  was  buried  the  knowledge.  The  evidence  is 
with  the  President's  contention.  The  vindication  included 
letters  in  reply  to  Judge  Holt  by  Judge  Bingham  and 
two  of  the  Cabinet,  Mr.  Speed  and  Mr.  Harlan  and  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Butler.  None  of  these  letters  support  Holt's 
contention — that  he  saw  the  suggestion  before  action  and 
that  the  Cabinet  approved  his  action — and  the  letter  of 
Mr.  Harlan  proves  the  reverse.1  To  the  vindication  is 
also  the  letter  of  General  Reuben  D.  Mussey,  a  military 
secretary  to  the  President.  It  does  not  support  "abso- 
lutely" Holt's  contention  as  to  the  suggestion — it  is  the 
only  supporting  letter  he  ever  received. 

"The  pot  calls  the  kettle  black." — Cervantes. 
"Thou  canst  not  say  I   did  it" — is   the  gist  of  the 


1  Washington,  D.  C,  May  27,  1873. 

******* 

After  the  sentence  and  before  the  execution  of  Mrs.  Surratt  I  remem- 
ber distinctly  the  discussion  of  the  question  of  the  commutation  of  the 
sentence  of  death  pronounced  on  her  by  the  Court  to  imprisonment 
for  life  had  by  members  of  the  Cabinet,  in  the  presence  of  President 
Johnson.  I  can  not  state  positively  whether  this  occurred  at  a  regular 
or  called  meeting,  or  whether  it  was  at  an  accidental  meeting  of  several 
members,  each  calling  on  the  President  in  relation  to  the  business  of 
his  own  Department.  The  impression  on  my  mind  is  that  the  only 
discussion  of  the  subject  by  members  of  the  Cabinet  which  I  ever  heard 
occurred  in  the  last-made  mode,  there  being  not  more  than  three  or 
four  members  present — Mr.  Seward,  Mr.  Stanton,  and  myself,  and 
possibly  Attorney  General  Speed,  and  others — but  I  distinctly  remember 
only  the  first  two.  When  I  entered  the  room  one  of  these  was  addressing 
the  President  in  an  earnest  conversation  on  the  question  whether  the 
sentence  ought  to  be  modified  on  account  of  the  sex  of  the  condemned. 
*  *  *  *  *  *  * 

No  part  of  the  record  of  the  trial,  the  decision  of  the  Court  or  the 
recommendation  of  clemency  was  at  that  time  or  ever  at  any  time,  read 
in  my  presence.  *  *  *  The  question,  however,  was  never  submitted 
when  I  was  present  to  the  Cabinet  for  a  formal  vote. 

******* 

James  Harlan. 
Hon.  J.  Holt, 

Judge   Advocate   General,   U.   S.   A. 


154       Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

recriminatory  correspondence.  To  the  student  of  the 
controversy,  the  conclusion  is  likely  to  be — both  were 
guilty.  It  is  an  extenuation  that  at  the  time  Mr.  John- 
son was  weakened  by  illness  and  his  mind  had  not 
unimpaired  resisting  strength.  Of  his  illness  were  in  the 
newspapers  daily  bulletins.  The  delay  in  the  presenta- 
tion of  the  findings  was  due  to  the  illness.  In  Mr. 
Johnson's  own  words,  it  was  "the  most  important  trial 
in  the  annals  of  the  nation"  and  that  he  ignored  the 
full  reports  in  the  newspapers  is  to  be  doubted.  And, 
if  he  read  he  could  but  know  the  conspiracy  as  charged 
was  utterly  unproven;  and  that  the  proof  against  Mrs. 
Surratt  was  of  a  flimsy  character.  Mr.  Johnson,  for  the 
time,  had  naught  of  the  quality  that  "droppeth  as  the 
gentle  rain."  He  signed  the  warrants,  the  horrible 
warrants,  that  consigned  to  eternity  in  twenty  odd  hours. 
Three  of  the  four  victims  had  no  suspicion  of  such  an 
extreme.  To  shield  a  misgiving  of  weakness  he  had  the 
entrance  guarded  by  the  military.  He  was  deaf  to 
appeals.  He  had,  while  yet  there  was  time  for  a 
reprieve,  the  letter  of  General  Hartranft  that  he  believed 
Mrs.  Surratt  was  guiltless.  That  Mr.  Johnson  would 
have  acquiesced  in  the  suggestion  of  clemency  is  beyond 
knowing. 

Judge  Holt  made  a  rejoinder  some  months  later, 
through  the  same  channel — the  Chronicle.  In  the 
rejoinder  he  contends  that  the  suggestion  is  not  a  part 
of  the  record.  Which  contention  differs  with  his  idea 
when  on  his  copy  he  wrote  at  the  end: 

"Official 
J.  Holt. 

Judge  Adv-Genl.m 

Holt,  it  is  very  evident,  suffered  intensely  from  the 


1  Library  of  Congress.     Manuscript  Division. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        155 

unfavorable  opinion  of  the  public;  which  opinion,  his 
conscience,  perhaps,  greatly  magnified.  He  grasped  for 
something  as  a  basis  of  vindication.  He  plead  with 
Mr.  Speed,  who  was  of  his  own  State,  Kentucky,  to  say 
something.  Nothing  was  there  for  Mr.  Speed  to  say  for 
such  a  basis.  In  a  correspondence  between  Holt  and 
Speed,  the  latter  used  all  sorts  of  excuses,  some  verging 
on  the  humorous  "I  lost  my  spectacles";  "the  son  who 
writes  for  me  was  necessarily  absent  all  day."  Mr. 
Speed  besides  excuses  resorted  to  delay.  The  corres- 
pondence is  between  April  18  and  December  26,  1883. 
Mr.  Speed,  October  25,  wrote:  "After  very  mature  and 
deliberate  consideration,  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  I  cannot  say  more  than  I  have  said";  and,  Decem- 
ber 26,  "I  had  hoped  that  my  letter  of  October  25, 
1883,  would  be  regarded  by  you  as  a  finality,  and  put 
an  end  to  all  correspondence  between  us  upon  the  subject 
thereof."  Holt,  exactly,  twenty  three  years  from  the 
time  of  the  part  he  took,  gave  the  correspondence  with 
his  own  notes  to  The  North  American  Review,  July, 
1888. 

"Only  spoil  it  by  trying  to  explain  it." — Sheridan. 

On  the  Holt-Johnson  controversy,  General  Henry  L. 
Burnett  at  a  meeting  of  the  Commandery,  State  of  New 
York,  April  3,  1889,  read  a  paper.  The  paper  can  prop- 
erly be  called  a  vindication  on  behalf  of  its  author.  "The 
suggestion"  is  omitted  from  "The  Assassination  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  and  the  Trial  of  the  Conspirators.  Com- 
piled and  Arranged  by  Benn  Pittman,  Recorder  to  the 
Commission,  1865."  It  contains  the  certificate  of  Gen- 
eral Burnett,  dated  October  2,  1865,  of  faithfulness  and 
accuracy. 

Says  General  Burnett: 


156        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

"When  I  reached  my  office  at  the  War  Department 
on  the  30th,  possibly  on  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  July 
— I  attached  the  petition  or  recommendation  to  mercy 
of  Mrs.  Surratt  to  the  findings  and  sentence,  and  at 
the  end  of  them,  and  then  directed  some  one  probably 
Mr.  Pittman — to  carry  the  record  of  the  evidence  to 
the  Judge  Advocate-General's  office.  I  carried  the  find- 
ings and  sentences  and  the  petition  or  recommendation 
and  delivered  them  to  the  Judge  Advocate  General  in 
person  or  to  the  clerk  in  charge  of  court-martial  records. 
Before  leaving  the  War  Department  I  may  have  attached 
these  findings  and  sentences  and  petition  to  the  last  few 
days  of  testimony,  and  carried  that  to  the  Judge  Advo- 
cate-General's office.  *  *  *  I  left  Washington 
several  days  before,  and  was  not  there  on  the  day  of  the 
execution." 

The  suggestion  is  not  attached  uto  the  last  few  days  of 
testimony"  yet  on  the  last  page  of  the  appendix  of  Pitt- 
man's  compilation  are  the  ex-parte  affidavits  of  Louis  J. 
Weichmann  and  Captain  George  W.  Dutton,  made  after 
Mrs.  Surratt's  mortal  remains  were  deposited  in  the 
ground,  that  is  August  11,  1865. 

Why  the  affidavits  of  Weichmann  and  Dutton  were 
allowed  to  be  attached  to  the  record,  General  Burnett 
could  have  answered,  for  he  forwarded  them  from  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio.  Weichmann  evidently  in  a  state  of  dis- 
quietude— could  think  of  something  supportive  and  in  a 
note  to  the  unsolicited  affidavit  says:  "I  remained  at 
home  during  the  evenings,  and  consequently  I  heard  many 
things  which  were  then  intended  to  blind  me,  but  which 
now  are  as  clear  as  daylight.  The  following  facts,  which 
have  come  to  my  recollection  since  the  rendition  of  my 
testimony  may  be  of  interest." 
uThe  cold  neutrality  of  an   impartial  judge." — Burke. 

General  Harris1  had  not  the  neutrality  for  he  had  not 


1  Thomas  Mealey  Harris. 


Wylie   Mansion* 
1205   Vermont  Avenue 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        157 

impartiality.  He  was  by  temperament  unsuited  to  be  of 
the  commission.  It  was  he  who  objected  to  the  Honor- 
able Reverdy  Johnson  appearing  for  Mrs.  Surratt.  He 
has  written  a  book;  The  Assassination,  A  History  of  the 
Great  Conspiracy.  Its  title  is  a  misnomer.  It  should 
have  been  A  Vindication  of  the  Commission.  To  prove 
that  the  verdict  was  warranted — not  that  it  does — does 
not  hesitate  to  quote  the  supplemental  affidavit  of  Weich- 
mann  made  after  Mrs.  Surratt  was  executed.  It  has  a 
chapter,  "Father  Walter."  It  is  a  chapter  of  villification 
of  that  good  man.    Writes  the  General: 

"Will  Father  Walter  deny  that  under  the  teachings 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  he  had  an  absolute  right, 
with  her  consent,  to  make  her  confession  public  on  this 
point?  Nay  more,  could  not  Mrs.  Surratt  have  com- 
pelled him  to  do  so  in  vindication  of  her  own  good  name, 
and  of  the  honor  of  the  church  of  which  she  was  a 
member?  And  having  this  consent,  was  it  not  his  most 
solemn  duty  to  proclaim  her  confessed  innocence  in  every 
public  way,  through  the  press,  and  even  from  the  very 
steps  of  the  gallows?" 

This  is  only  an  extract  from  a  production  of  which 
the  mildest  criticism  is — unfair.  In  the  pittance  of  time, 
the  evening  of  one  day  to  the  noon  of  the  next,  Father 
Walter  made  two  attempts  to  see  the  President  in  vain. 
The  admission  of  a  confession  by  Mrs.  Surratt  favora- 
ble to  herself  would  have  had  the  same  fate  as  the  con- 
fessions of  Atzerodt  and  Weichmann. 

From  the  article  of  Mr.  Clampitt,  "The  Trial  of  Mrs. 
Surratt"  are  now  given  some  of  the  parts  relating  to  the 
bias  of  the  Commision  and  the  habeas  corpus  proceed- 
ings. 

"Instead  of  the  Commission  permitting  the  defense  to 
establish  these  facts  by  competent  testimony,  and  place 
the  brand  of  infamy  upon  a  perjured  wretch,  one  of  the 


158        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

members  of  the  Commission,  General  Lewis  Wallace, 
with  much  warmth  of  speech  denounced  the  attempt  of 
counsel  to  impeach  the  testimony  of  Government  wit- 
nesses. 

"We  replied  that  such  a  speech  came  with  bad  grace 
from  a  member  of  the  Commission  who  was  presumed  to 
be  sitting  as  an  impartial  judge;  that  we  were  standing 
within  the  portals  of  a  constituted  temple  of  justice,  and 
defending  the  citadel  of  life,  and  that  it  was  our  bounden 
duty,  and  an  obligation  we  owed  our  oath  of  office,  as 
well  as  our  client,  to  impeach  the  testimony  of  each  and 
every  Government  witness  that  could  be  properly  im- 
peached with  the  forms  of  law  that  obtained  in  a  civil 
court  of  justice.  It  was,  however,  of  no  avail,  and  on 
motion  of  the  Judge-Advocate,  our  whole  impeachment 
was  stricken  from  the  record.  It  does  not  therefore 
appear  in  the  printed  proceedings  of  the  trial,  but  can 
be  found  in  the  files  of  the  'National  Intelligencer'  of 
May  31,  1865. 

"In  further  illustration  of  the  animus  of  the  Com- 
mission, one  other  case  will  be  cited.  Near  the  close  of 
the  trial,  and  after  the  testimony  of  the  heartless  and 
perjured  Weichmann  had  been  given,  stung  by  feelings 
of  remorse,  Weichmann  called  at  the  rooms  of  a  young 
man,  now  connected  with  one  of  the  Catholic  institutions 
of  learning,  but  at  that  time  a  resident  of  Washington 
with  whom  he  was  on  terms  of  intimacy,  and,  during  an 
earnest  conversation,  admitted  that  he  had  sworn  falsely 
with  regard  to  the  connection  of  Mrs.  Surratt  with  the 
murder  of  the  President;  that  having  been  an  inmate  of 
her  home  during  the  formation  of  the  conspiracy  he  was 
himself  suspicioned  and  was  threatened  by  the  authorities 
of  the  War  Department,  in  which  for  some  time  he  had 
been  a  clerk,  with  arrest  and  trial  with  the  other  prison- 
ers, unless  he  made  a  statement  implicating  Mrs.  Surratt; 
that  upon  such  demand  he  prepared  a  statement,  which 
was  rejected  by  the  Judge-Advocate  General  with  the 
remark  that  'it  was  not  strong  enough' ;  that  his  life  being 
threatened  he  made  out  another  statement  which  was  in 
accordance   with   their   wishes    and   demands,    and   this 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        159 

'statement'  he  swore  to  on  the  witness-stand,  falsely 
implicating  Mrs.  Surratt,  in  the  conspiracy.  The  young 
man  to  whom  Weichmann  made  this  confession  communi- 
cated it  to  the  counsel  of  Mrs.  Surratt,  and  offered  to 
go  on  the  witness-stand  and  swear  to  the  same.  We 
took  the  proper  steps  to  have  him  called  as  a  witness, 
but  the  Commission,  taking  advantage  of  a  technical 
ground,  refused  to  permit  him  to  testify  on  this  all- 
important  point.  How  well  this  speaks  for  justice !  Can 
anyone  deny  that  the  Commission  was  organized  to 
convict  ? 

"We  telegraphed  the  situation  to  the  Hon.  Reverdy 
Johnson,  requesting  his  immediate  presence.  He  was 
at  his  home  in  Baltimore  City,  and  telegraphed  the 
following  reply:  'It  is  very  late.  There  are  no  trains 
to  carry  me  to  Washington  City.  Apply  for  a  writ  of 
habeas  corpus  and  take  her  body  from  the  custody  of 
the  military  authorities.  We  are  now  in  a  state  of  peace 
— not  war.'  It  was  now  nearly  midnight,  and  this  was 
our  last  hope.  But  to  whom  should  we  apply  for  the 
writ?  What  judge  was  bold  enough  to  assert  the 
sanctity  of  his  ermine,  and  preserve  it  pure  in  the  face 
of  the  popular  clamor  and  the  well-known  spirit  of 
lawlessness  that  characterized  those  in  authority?  We 
determined,  nevertheless,  to  make  the  attempt,  and, 
although  past  midnight,  proceeded  to  prepare  the  peti- 
tion, upon  which,  as  we  supposed,  hung  the  life  or  death 
of  our  client.  We  never  for  a  moment  doubted  the 
efficacy  of  the  writ,  could  we  prevail  upon  its  issue. 

"Completing  our  labor,  we  drove  immediately  to  the 
residence1  of  the  Hon.  Andrew  Wylie,  and,  just  as  the 
clock  tolled  the  hour  of  two  in  the  morning,  rung  the 
front-door  bell.  A  window  above  us  was  raised,  and 
the  well-known  voice  of  the  Judge  greeted  us  with  the 
query,  'What  do  you  want?'  We  answered,  'Important 
business  of  a  judicial  character,  upon  which  hangs  life 
or  death.'  The  window  closed  and  in  a  few  moments 
the  Judge  admitted  us  into  his  study,  clad  only  in  his 


1 1205  Vermont  Avenue. 


160       Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

dressing-gown,  the  weather  being  warm.  The  Judge 
listened  attentively  to  each  sentence  of  our  petition, 
which  was  of  some  length,  immovable,  sitting  like  a 
statue  in  the  glimmer  of  the  gas-light  overhead,  not 
interrupting  us  once  during  the  whole  of  the  reading, 
and  the  brief  argument  that  followed.  At  its  conclu- 
sion he  took  the  papers,  and  quietly  remarking,  'Please 
excuse  me,  gentlemen/  retired  to  his  chamber. 

"Our  hearts  fell  within  us  as  he  closed  the  door 
behind  him,  as  we  conceived  the  idea  that  he  was  about 
to  reject  the  petition  and,  being  in  an  unclad  condition, 
had  gone  to  put  on  his  clothes.  In  a  few  moments, 
however,  he  returned  with  the  papers  in  his  hand,  re- 
marking: 'Gentlemen,  my  mind  is  made  up.  I  have 
always  endeavored  to  perform  my  duty  fearlessly,  as 
I  understand  it.  I  am  constrained  to  decide  the  points 
in  your  petition  well  taken.  I  am  about  to  perform  an 
act  which  before  tomorrow's  sun  goes  down  may  con- 
sign me  to  the  old  Capitol  Prison.  I  believe  it  to  be 
my  duty,  as  a  judge,  to  order  the  writ  to  issue;  and 
(taking  up  his  pen)  I  shall  so  order  it.'  With  many 
thanks  we  received  back  the  papers,  and  carried  them 
in  person  to  the  clerk  of  the  court,  who  made  out  the 
writ  in  accordance  with  the  order  of  Judge  Wylie,  and  at 
four  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  placed  it  in  the  hands 
of  the  United  States  Marshal,  with  the  request  that 
it  be  served  immediately  upon  General  Hancock,  the 
commandant  of  the  military  district  in  which  the  body 
of  Mrs.  Surratt  was  confined. 

"The  judicial  act  of  Judge  Wylie,  performed  in  the 
face  of  reckless  passion  which  in  that  sanguinary  hour 
would  have  swept  away  all  forms  of  law,  remains  fadeless 
in  its  luster,  and,  touched  with  the  mellow  hues  of  time, 
stands  brightly  forth,  crowning  with  garlands  the  closing 
years  of  that  brave  man  who,  in  the  face  of  bayonets, 
'dared  to  perform  his  duty  as  he  knew  it.' 

"Ah !  well  would  it  have  been  for  the  judicial  history 
of  this  country  had  that  'writ  of  writs'  been  obeyed  and 
the  sacred  majesty  of  the  law  maintained!"1 

1  North  American  Review,  September,   1880. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        161 

Hon.  Hugh  McCulloch  was  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  during  the  entire  administration  of  President 
Johnson.  He  was  in  that  high  capacity  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  Presidents  Lincoln  and  Arthur.  His  Men  and 
Measures  of  Half  a  Century,  with  a  preface  dated 
November,   1887,  has  a  Surratt  page. 

"The  finding  of  the  court  was  approved  by  the 
President,  on  the  sixth  of  July,  and  those  who  were 
condemned  to  die  were  executed  the  very  next  day,  Mrs. 
Surratt  having  pleaded  in  vain  for  a  respite  of  a  few 
days.  After  her  execution,  there  was  a  general  feeling 
of  regret  that  her  punishment  had  not  been  commuted 
from  death  to  imprisonment.  The  evidence  on  which 
she  was  convicted  would  not  have  satisfied  an  impartial 
jury.  Her  complicity  was  not  clearly  proven  and  the 
sternest  justice  in  her  case  would  have  been  satisfied 
with  a  lesser  punishment.  The  most  pitiful  object  that 
I  ever  beheld  was  the  prostrate  form  of  Miss  Surratt 
(who  was  said  to  be  an  amiable  and  accomplished  young 
lady),  upon  the  main  staircase  of  the  Executive  Man- 
sion, in  the  morning  of  the  day  of  her  mother's  execu- 
tion. She  had  come  to  plead  for  her  mother's  life, 
and  having  failed  to  obtain  admission  to  the  President, 
she  had  fainted  in  descending  the  stairs.  There  was, 
I  am  sure,  no  foundation  for  the  report,  which  many 
believed,  that  Mr.  Stanton's  life  was  shortened  by  re- 
morse for  his  agency  in  the  prosecution  and  execution 
of  Mrs.  Surratt;  but  I  know  that  President  Johnson 
deeply  regretted  that  he  did  not  favorably  consider  the 
petitions  that  were  made  for  a  commutation  of  her 
punishment,  and  that  he  especially  regretted  that  he 
ordered  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus,  issued  by  Judge 
Wylie,  on  the  morning  of  her  execution,  to  be  disre- 
garded. The  facts  that  the  trial  was  before  a  military 
commission,  months  after  the  war  was  ended;  that  the 
male  criminals  were  manacled  during  the  trial;  that  from 
those  (with  the  exception  of  Mrs.  Surratt)  upon  whom 
sentence  of  death  was  pronounced  the  shackles  were  not 
removed  when  they  were  executed  indicated  how  justice 


162        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

could  be  strained  and  humanity  deadened  when  public 
vengeance  was  thoroughly  aroused." 

Judge  Holt  died,  August  1,  1894;  aged  eighty-seven. 
His  estate  was  large.  At  the  time  of  his  death  no  will 
was  found.  On  August  26,  1895,  the  Register  of  Wills 
received  by  mail  from  an  unidentified  source  in  a  dis- 
guised handwriting  a  will  of  the  Judge,  burnt  and  torn. 
It  was  executed  February  7,  1873;  and  was  witnessed 
by  President  Grant  and  General  and  Mrs.  Sherman. 
Luke  Devlin  was  named  executor.  Mr.  Devlin  at  one 
time  was  a  messenger  in  Judge  Holt's  office.  The  bene- 
ficiaries of  the  will  were  two  Misses,  a  god-child  and  a 
cousin  by  marriage.  It  was  contested  by  the  heirs-at- 
law,  a  son  and  a  daughter.  The  trial  began  May  18 
and  ended  June  25,  1896.  The  jury  decided  the  paper 
to  be  a  forgery. 

Weichmann  died  June  5,  1896  in  Anderson,  Ind.  at 
the  age  of  sixty  years.1 

The  Washington  Post,  October  10,   1909: 

"A  monument  to  Mrs.  Surratt !  The  idea  at  first  seems 
too  fantastic  to  be  conceivable  and  yet  if  a  census  of  the 
views  of  Washingtonians  were  taken  today  the  sugges- 
tion would  find  favor  and  warm  support  in  many  hearts, 
for  there  are  thousands,  not  only  in  the  Capital,  but 
throughout  the  nation,  who  believe  that  the  one  woman 
who  was  executed  as  having  had  a  hand  in  the  conspir- 
acy resulting  in  the  assassination  of  President  Lincoln  was 
more  sinned  against  than  sinning. 

"Mrs.  Surratt  is  described  by  those  who  knew  her  as 
being  a  buxom-looking  woman;  her  hair  was  brown 
and  worn  parted  in  the  middle  and  combed  down  over 
the  ears.  She  had  feline  gray  eyes  that  seemed  to 
search  the  very  thoughts  of  those  she  regarded.  By 
nature  she  was  kind  and  thoughtful  of  others,  and  her 


1  Osborne  H.  Oldroyd.     The  Assassination  of  Lincoln. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        163 

home  was  known  throughout  the  countryside  for  South- 
ern hospitality, 

"Among  her  neighbors  she  was  noted  for  her  sympa- 
thetic kindness  to  those  in  distress  or  sickness.  Often- 
times during  the  war,  when  many  soldiers  on  both  sides 
passed  her  door,  she  fed,  sheltered,  and  clothed  them  as 
often  as  she  was  able,  many  times  going  without  com- 
forts herself  in  order  that  they  might  be  satisfied.  On 
one  occasion  she  is  said  to  have  cut  up  the  last  ham  on 
the  place  for  a  crowd  of  starving  Union  soldiers,  and 
that  there  were  no  more  attainable  until  someone  could 
go  to  town." 

Booth  is  interred  in  Green  Mount  Cemetery,  Balti- 
more, Atzerodt  in  Glenwood;  Herold  in  Congressional. 
Payne  was  interred  in  Holmead  since  cleared.  Mrs. 
Surratt  was  forty-five  years  of  age.1 

A  genial  afternoon  in  August  (1924),  the  writer 
visited  Mount  Olivet.  The  obliging  caretaker2  ceased 
to  draw  the  sharpening  blade  over  the  scythe,  the  draw- 
ing of  which  has  a  rhythmic  sound  like  music  as  it  rever- 
berates through  the  still  aisles  and  groves;  and  he  took 
him  to  the  Surratt  plot.  Said  the  caretaker,  "I  have 
been  here  fifty-four  years.  I  knew  the  Surratts.  John 
Harry  who  jumped  from  the  great  rock  and  died  nine 
years  ago.  And  near  here  are  buried  the  families  of 
the  Presidents,  Washington,  Madison  and  Harrison. 
And  right  there  is  the  grave  of  Mrs.  Douglas,  the 
widow  of  the  Senator.  She  was  a  beautiful  woman." 
Odd,  thought  the  writer  that  the  beautiful  woman  who 
made  the  heroic  effort  at  rescue  should  be  so  near  a 
neighbor  in  the  ground.  Near  by  is  the  grave  of  the 
architect  of  the  President's  House,  the  grave  of  a 
brave  general,  the  grave  of  a  great  banker.  Not  all 
of  the  graves  are  taken  by  the  great;  some  are  by  inte- 


1  Osborne  H.  Oldroyd.     The  Assassination  of  Lincoln. 
3  Michael  J.  Broderick. 


164       Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

grals  not  so  widely  known;  but  all  alike  in  rest  blended 
lie.  The  grave  of  Mrs.  Surratt  has  a  modest  upright 
tablet  on  which  is  carved 

MRS.  SURRATT 
And  it  stands  in  the  protection  of  an  ancient  box  bush. 
Mrs.  Surratt  was  a  martyr  to  public  indignation.  She 
was  no  heroine.  It  is  not  the  intent  to  make  her  one. 
She  was  a  worthy  woman.  She  was  in  humble  station. 
She  was  made  prominent  by  being  disgraced  before  the 
nation.  She  was  guiltless.  The  wrong  cannot  be  ade- 
quately righted.  That  the  truth  be  stated  is  the  best 
that  can  be  in  that  direction.  She  is  entitled  to  that 
in  the  fullest  measure. 


VI.  Mrs.  Lincoln. 

Special  Dispatch  to  the  Chicago  Tribune. 

"Springfield,  111.,  July  16  ( 1882).— Mrs.  Lincoln 
breathed  her  last  at  the  residence  of  the  Hon.  Ninian 
Edwards,  her  brother-in-law,  this  evening  at  8:15 
o'clock. 

"Mary  Lincoln  was  the  daughter  of  the  Hon.  R.  S. 
Todd,  and  was  born  in  Lexington,  Ky.,  in  December, 
1818.  She  came  to  this  city  in  1839,  and  was  married 
Nov.  2,  1842,  to  Abraham  Lincoln,  at  the  residence  of 
the  Hon.  Ninian  W.  Edwards,  where  tonight  she  died. 
*  *  *  During  most  of  the  residence  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lincoln  in  this  city  they  occupied  the  two-story  frame 
dwelling  at  the  corner  of  Eighth  and  Jackson  streets 
which  is  generally  pointed  out  as,  "Lincoln  Home." 

SJC  $  $t  JJS  $  $  jfc 

"Mrs.  Lincoln  continued  to  reside  in  Washington  for 
some  time  after  the  tragic  death  of  her  husband,  but 
she  subsequently  removed  to  Chicago,  where  she  pur- 
chased property  and  resided  for  several  years  in  com- 
fortable circumstances.  It  was  apparent  to  her  friends 
that  the  terrible  ordeal  through  which  she  had  passed 
had  left  a  depression  on  her  mind,  from  which  she  had 
not  recovered  and  she  was  accordingly  put  under  medical 
treatment  at  Batavia  for  treatment  of  her  infirmity. 
Though  she  never  recovered  completely,  Mrs.  Lincoln 
was  soon  considered  as  sufficiently  improved  to  be  re- 
lieved of  restraint,  and  she  went  abroad,  remaining  about 
three  years  at  Pau,  a  noted  watering  place  in  the  South 
of  France.  While  there  she  received  injuries  from  a  fall, 
from  the  effects  of  which  she  never  fully  recovered. 

"After  her  return  to  this  country  Mrs.  Lincoln  made 
her  home  in  this  city  until  last  fall,  when  she  went  to 

165 


166        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

New  York  City  and  underwent  treatment  for  a  disease 
of  the  eyes  and  for  diabetes  returning  here,  as  before 
stated,  during  March.  Mrs.  Lincoln  was  a  woman  of 
many  peculiarities,  which  were  intensified  by  the  mental 
strain  to  which  she  was  subjected  by  *  *  *  but  she 
had  many  warm  friends  who  will  deeply  mourn  her  loss 
Her  position  as  the  honored  and  respected  wife 
of  such  a  man  as  President  Abraham  Lincoln  was 
a  prominent  one,  difficult  to  fill,  in  which  she  won  friends 
who  will  extend  to  her  bereaved  relatives  boundless 
sympathy." 


Lincoln  Monument 
In  Front  of  Court  House,  Washington,  D.  C. 


VII.  Memorials. 

In  the  City  Councils,  the  24th  in  the  month  of 
the  tragedy  Joseph  F.  Brown  in  the  Board  of  Aldermen 
and  Noble  D.  Larner  in  the  Board  of  the  Common 
Council  offered  a  joint  resolution  for  the  appointment 
of  a  committee  to  act  on  the  erection  of  a  monument 
to  Lincoln  in  the  city.  The  committee  formed  from 
the  two  Boards  met  in  the  Mayor's  office  the  28th  inst. 
and  formed  an  organization  called  the  Lincoln  National 
Monument  Association.  The  officers  were  Richard 
Wallach,  the  Mayor,  President;  Joseph  F.  Brown,  Vice 
President;  Crosby  S.  Noyes,  Secretary;  George  W. 
Riggs,  Treasurer.  It  was  announced  in  the  Evening 
Star,  May  2 :  "It  is  proposed  to  raise  for  the  purpose 
the  sum  of  at  least  $100,000  by  subscriptions,  to  be 
limited  in  amount  from  one  dollar  to  ten  per  individual 
contributor." 

The  first  response,  to  the  information  of  the  writer, 
was  that  from  Baltimore.  John  T.  Ford,  in  his  theatre 
there,  gave  a  benefit  performance,  which  netted  about 
eighteen  hundred  dollars.  The  tickets  were  almost  all 
sold  by  the  police  under  the  direction  of  Marshal 
Carmichael. 

This  was  the  only  outside  contribution.  What  was 
to  be  national  was  local.  What  was  intended  to  be  the 
outlay  was  reduced  to  a  quarter  of  the  amount.  Other 
communities  had  their  own  memorials. 

Lot  Flannery  was  the  sculptor.  He  knew  Mr.  Lincoln 
personally.  Of  the  designs  Flannery's  was  unanimously 
accepted  because  of  fidelity  to  feature.     Lincoln  is   in 


167 


168        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

a  speaking  attitude  with  his  hand  resting  upon  the 
Roman  emblem  of  union.  The  pedestal,  tall  and 
slender,  was  like  those  in  the  European  Capitals. 

On  the  third  anniversary  of  the  death  of  the  martyr, 
April  15,  1868,  were  the  dedicatory  exercises.  The 
witnesses  were  fifteen  to  twenty  thousand.  Although 
it  rained,  no  diminution  of  ardor  was  apparent.  The 
colored  people  ranged  in  the  rear  of  the  platform.  On 
it  were  the  invited  four  hundred.  There,  the  diplomatic 
corps  had  Baron  Gerolt,  the  German  Minister;  the 
army,  Major  General  Winfield  S.  Hancock  and  General 
Oliver  O.  Howard;  the  navy,  Admiral  Radford.  Gen- 
eral Grant  insisted  on  remaining  where  he  was,  on  the 
pavement  in  front  of  the  ancient  Masonic  Hall.  General 
Grant's  stand  on  the  sidewalk  may  not  have  had  any 
reference  to  President  Johnson's  presence  on  the  plat- 
form. At  the  time,  the  impeachment  proceedings  were 
in  progress. 

From  the  oration  of  Benjamin  B.  French: 

"It  does  not  require  any  monument  or  any  words  to 
perpetuate  the  memory  of  that  great  and  good  and  pure 
man.  Monumental  marble  may  crumble  into  dust; 
bronze  may  melt  away;  granite  may  perish  from  the 
earth;  but  the  memory  of  Abraham  Lincoln  shall  live 
in  human  bosoms,  and  be  perpetuated  on  the  living 
pages  of  history  as  long  as  any  nation  or  people  shall 
exist  on  earth. 

"The  kindness  of  his  disposition  and  his  readiness  to 
indulge  his  children,  may  be  illustrated  by  two  occurrences 
that  fell  under  my  own  observations.  The  preparations 
had  all  been  made  for  the  family  to  leave  the  city  house, 
and  establish  themselves,  for  the  summer,  at  the 
Soldiers'  Home.  The  carriage  was  at  the  door  and  Mr. 
Lincoln  and  Tad  were  in  it.  The  President  came  out 
to  join  them,  when  Tad  said:  'I  have  not  got  my  cat.' 
The  President  replied,  'You  shall  have  your  cat',  and 


Lincoln  Monument 
Lincoln  Square,  Washington,   D.  C. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        169 

he  went  into  the  house  and  returned  in  a  few  minutes 
with  Tad's  cat  in  his  arms. 

"At  another  time  when  I  was  with  him  in  his  office, 
conversing  on  official  business,  one  of  the  servants  came 
in  and  spoke  to  him.  He  at  once  turned  to  me  and 
asked  me  to  excuse  him  for  a  short  time,  as  he  must 
go  and  give  Tad  his  medicine,  which  he  would  take  from 
no  one  else. 

"Such  acts  as  these  do  honor  to  human  nature,  no 
matter  whether  done  by  President  or  peasants,  every 
one  who  has  a  soul,  will  appreciate  them,  and  I  have 
thought  a  thousand  times,  as  I  have  seen  the  evidences 
of  the  minute  attention  given  by  the  great  and  good 
Washington,  to  the  smallest  matters  that  concerned  his 
household  and  his  home,  while  leading  the  armies  of 
the  United  States,  or  exercising  the  high  functions  of 
President  of  the  infant  Republic,  how  like,  in  many 
particulars,  were  those  two  truly  great  Presidents." 

Edward  B.  Olmstead  recited  his  original  poem. 

The  President  pulled  the  cord  and  the  statue  was 
uncovered  as  the  crowd  cheered. 

The  sculptor  then  appeared  and  received  the  plaudits. 

The  orator  also  said:  "Here  it  stands,  as  it  were,  in 
the  plaza  of  the  city,  and  here  it  will  stand,  we  hope,  to 
be  seen  by  generations  long  hence  to  come."  However, 
the  statue  was  removed  when  the  Court  House  was 
enlarged,  that  it  might  not  obstruct  the  view.  The 
strong  protest  of  the  citizens  caused  Congress  to  replace 
the  statue  but  in  a  lower  position — and  for  itself  and  the 
surroundings  more  satisfactory. 

The  statute  of  Lincoln  by  Vinnie  Ream  in  the 
Rotunda  of  the  Capitol,  was  there  unveiled  January  25, 
1871. 

On  the  platform  were  President  Grant,  Vice-President 
Colfax  and  many  others,  highly  distinguished.  Senator 
Morrill,  Vt.,   chairman   of  the   committee   of   arrange- 


170       Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

merits,  after  music  by  the  Marine  Band,  came  forward 
and  said: 

"Four  years  ago  a  little  girl  from  Wisconsin  occupied 
a  little  place  in  the  Post  Office  Department  at  $600  a 
year.  She  had  faith  she  could  do  something  better. 
Congress,  with  almost  equal  faith  and  liberality,  gave 
her  an  order  for  the  statue  of  the  late  deceased  Presi- 
dent Lincoln.  That  statute  and  the  artist  are  now  before 
you.  Judge  Davis,  of  the  Supreme  Court,  will  now  un- 
veil the  statue.'' 

The  silk  flag,  the  national  colors,  which  covered  the 
statue  was  a  testimonial,  by  the  weavers  of  Lyons, 
France,  by  subscription  limited  to  two  sous  per  individual. 
It  bore:  "Subscription  populaire  la  Republique  Etats 
Unis  offerte  en  memoire  d}  Abraham  Lincoln,  Lyons, 
1865." 

Addresses  were  made  by  Senators  Trumbull,  111., 
Patterson,  N.  H.,  and  Carpenter,  Wis.,  and  Representa- 
tives Cullom,  111.,  Banks,  Mass.  and  Brooks,  N.  Y. 

Miss  Ream  married  Gen.  Richard  L.  Hoxie,  U.S.A. 
She  resided  and  died  in  Washington,  D.  C. 

On  Friday,  April  14,  1876,  the  eleventh  anniversary 
of  the  assassination  of  President  Lincoln  were  the  dedi- 
catory exercises  of  the  Lincoln  Monument  in  Lincoln 
Park. 

The  monument,  in  bronze,  is  the  work  of  Thomas 
Ball,  an  American  sculptor,  who  resided  in  Rome.  On 
the  base  of  the  monument  is  "Emancipation."  An  in- 
scription on  the  pedestal  states  that  the  monument  was 
erected  by  the  Western  Sanitary  Commission  of  St. 
Louis,  Mo.,  with  funds  contributed  solely  by  the  eman- 
cipated citizens;  that  the  first  contribution,  five  dollars, 
was  made  by  Charlotte  Scott,  a  freed  woman  of  Virginia 
who  made  it  upon  hearing  of  the  death  of  the  President. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        171 

President  Grant  was  present  as  were  members  of  the 
Cabinet,  Senators  and  Representatives. 

Prof.  John  M.  Langston  spoke,  and  drew  the  cords 
which  uncovered  the  monument. 

An  original  poem  by  Miss  H.  Cordelia  Ray  of  New 
York  was  read.  Frederick  Douglas  made  an  eloquent 
oration  which  in  the  newspapers  was  reported  in  full. 

The  Lincoln  Memorial  is  a  marble  temple  with  Doric 
columns  in  the  Potomac  Park.     It  is  built  on  an  emi- 
nence and  has   an  unbroken  view  from   all  directions. 
Henry  Bacon,  architect,  designed  it.     The  hall  is  sixty 
feet  wide,  seventy  feet  long  and  sixty  feet  high.     Oppo- 
site   the    entrance    and    against    the    west    wall    is    the 
colossal   marble   statue   of  Lincoln   in   sitting   position. 
It  is  the  creation  of  Daniel  Chester  French.     Over  the 
statue  and  on  the  wall  is  the  legend: 
In  This  Temple 
As  In  The  Hearts  Of  The  People 
For  Whom  He  Saved  the  Union 
The  Memory  Of  Abraham  Lincoln 
Is  Enshrined  Forever. 

On  the  north  wall  is  graven  the  second  inaugural 
address  and  on  the  south  wall,  the  Gettysburg  address. 
Over  the  addresses  are  idealistic  paintings  by  Jules 
Guerin.  On  the  exterior  frieze  are  names  of  the 
forty-eight  States  in  existence  when  the  Memorial  was 
erected.  A  lagoon  reflects  both  the  Monument  and 
Memorial.  The  Washington  Monument  and  the  Lincoln 
Memorial  with  their  diversity  of  form,  with  their  beauty 
and  simplicity  and  their  adjuncts  of  landscape  garden  and 
water  view  make  a  scene  of  unsurpassed  impressiveness. 

The  Lincoln  Memorial  was  opened  to  the  public 
June  22,   1921. 

The  dedicatory  exercises  were    on    May    30,    1922. 


172        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

Were  present  Hon.  Robert  T.  Lincoln  and  Mrs. 
Lincoln,  Henry  Bacon,  Daniel  Cheser  French  and  Jules 
Guerin.  Rev.  Wallace  Radcliffe  made  the  invocation. 
Chief  Justice  Taft  gave  the  history  of  the  building  of 
the  memorial.  Dr.  Robert  R.  Moton,  President  of 
Tuskegee  Institute,  spoke  for  the  colored  people. 
Edwin  Markham  read  a  revision  of  his  poem  Lincoln, 
the  Man  of  the  People.  President  Harding  delivered 
the  oration: 

"His  work  was  so  colossal,  in  the  face  of  such  discour- 
agement, that  none  will  dispute  that  he  was  incomparably 
the  greatest  of  our  Presidents.  He  came  to  authority 
when  the  Republic  was  beset  by  foes  at  home  and 
abroad,  and  re-established  union  and  security.  He  made 
gesture  of  his  surpassing  generosity  which  began  reunion. 

"Today  American  gratitude,  love  and  appreciation, 
gave  to  Abraham  Lincoln  this  lone  white  temple,  a 
parthenon  for  him  alone." 

Tablets. 

Congress  appropriated  funds,  February  28,  1923,  "For 
erection  of  suitable  tablets  to  mark  historical  places  in  the 
District  of  Columbia".  The  appropriation  was  asked 
by  the  Commissioners  of  the  District  of  Columbia.  Hon. 
Cuno  H.  Rudolph,  the  President  of  the  Commission,  has 
been  strongly  in  favor  of  historic  marking.  A  general 
committee  on  Historic  Sites  was  appointed  with  William 
Van  Zandt  Cox,  as  chairman.  The  Executive  Committee 
from  it  was  appointed:  Allen  C.  Clark,  chairman,  Dr. 
Marcus  Benjamin,  Frederick  L.  Fishback,  Miss  Maud 
Burr  Morris,  Dr.  William  Tindall,  John  Clagett  Proc- 
tor and  Washington  Topham.  Mr.  Cox  gave  enthusias- 
tic and  efficient  service.  He  died  and  Allen  C.  Clark 
succeeded  to  the  general  chairmanship. 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital        173 

The  Lincoln  tablets  were  unveiled  April  29,  1924: 
the  exercises  began  at  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  The 
invocation  was  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Mongr.  Cornelius  F. 
Thomas.  A  History  of  the  Ford  Theatre  Site  was 
presented  by  Allen  C.  Clark.  Eloquent  addresses  were 
made  by  the  Hon.  Henry  R.  Rathbone  and  by  Frederick 
L.  Fishback,  Esq.,  of  the  Washington  Bar.  Mr.  Rath- 
bone  vividly  described  and  minutely,  the  scene  of  assas- 
sination. Mr.  Fishback  touchingly  told  of  the  last 
hours  and  of  the  funeral  journey  to  Springfield.  The 
tablet  on  the  Ford  Theatre  site  was  revealed  by  Miss 
Maud  Burr  Morris;  and  Mrs.  Osborne  H.  Oldroyd 
drew  the  cord  which  held  the  drapery  to  the  tablet  on 
the  house  where  Lincoln  died.  It  was  the  American 
flag  which  draped  the  tablets.  The  band  from  the 
Military  School  under  the  direction  of  Prof.  W.  J. 
Stannard  interspersed  selections.  Frederick  D.  Owen 
was  in  charge  of  arrangements.  Allen  C.  Clark  pre- 
sided. 


Abraham  Lincoln 

Was  Assassinated 

In  This  Building  April  14,  1865 

Ford  Theatre  1862-1865 

Now  Owned  And  Occupied  By 

The  United  States. 


Abraham  Lincoln 

Died  In  This  House 

April  15,   1865,  at  7:22  A.M. 

Purchased  By 

The  United  States. 

in  1896. 


174       Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 

The  Oldroyd  Lincoln  Memorial  Collection. 

An  organization,  the  Washington  Memorial  Associa- 
tion, secured  an  appropriation  by  Congress  to  acquire 
the  house  where  Lincoln  passed  away. 

Osborne  H.  Oldroyd  in  the  house  has  the  Oldroyd 
Lincoln  Memorial  Collection.  Mr.  Oldroyd  has  with 
enthusiasm,  energy,  industry  and  intelligence  gathered  a 
Lincoln  museum  which  is  no  less  than  marvellous.  It 
contains  three  thousand  articles.  The  articles  include 
furniture,  household  goods,  likenesses,  cartoons,  adver- 
tisements, books,  manuscripts,  everything  which  can 
appertain.  The  collection  should  belong  to  the  people 
of  the  nation  and  forever  be  preserved  with  greatest 
appropriateness  in  the  national  city  and  where  the  martyr 
was  in  life  the  last.  Mr.  Oldroyd  has  offered  the 
collection  to  the  people,  to  remain  where  it  is,  upon 
terms  of  remarkable  liberality.  Yet  Congress  is  strange- 
ly laggard  in  action. 

The  collection  should  always  carry  the  name,  Oldroyd, 
for  him,  who  created  it.  So  praiseworthy  is  Mr. 
Oldroyd's  creation,  that  adequate  words  of  praise  do 
not  come  to  the  writer  and  the  line  of  the  poet,  he 
takes 

"In  praise  so  just  let  ev'ry  voice  be  join'd." 


NAME  INDEX 


Aiken,   Frederick   H 124 

Arthur,   Chester   A 161 

Ashmun,  George 2 

Atzerodt,    George    A., 

119,  124,  128,  132,  135,  151,  163 
Augur,  General  Christoper  C.  114 

Bacon,  Henry  171,   172 

Baker,   Edward   D 13,   23,   24 

Baker,    Lafayette    C 148 

Balbach,   Major  Arthur   13 

Ball,    Thomas    170 

Ballauf,  Daniel 100 

Banks,   Nathaniel   P 170 

Beers,    Ethel    Lynn    29 

Benjamin,   Dr.   Marcus  172 

Benkert,    George    Felix    31 

Berret,    James    G 10,    16 

Bingham,   John    A., 

124,  143,  146,  147,  153 

Bixby,   Mrs 81 

Blair,   Francis   P.,   Sr 9,   65 

Blair,    Francis   P 65 

Blair,    Montgomery    9 

Blake,    John    B 83 

BJenker,    General    Louis 34 

Booth,     Edwin 120 

Booth,   John   Wilkes, 

92,  103,  106,  107,  109,  111, 
113,  115,  119,  123,  125,  126, 
128,    135,    142,    147,    148,    163 

Booth,  Junius  Brutus 92 

Booth,      Mrs.      Junius      Brutus 

(Mary    Anne) 94 

Boyle,   Rev.    Thomas 119 

Bradley,    Henry   J 62 

Briggs,    John    R 11 

Briggs,    Mrs.    John    R.     (Susan 

Edson   Briggs) 11,    17 

Broderick,   Michael  J 163 

Brooks,    James 170 

Brophy,  John  P.  131,  132,  134,  142 

Brown,    B.    Gratz 81 

Brown,    Joseph    F 167 

Bryant,  William  Cullen 29 

Buchanan,  James 9,  12,  149 


Burgess,  L.  M 22 

Burnett,    Colonel    Henry   L., 

124,    152,    155,    156 
Burnside,  General  Ambrose  E., 

101 

Burton,  Walter 95,   100,   140 

Busey,  Dr.   Samuel   C 3-5 

Butler,   General   Benjamin   F. 146 

Butler,  Rev.  John  George.135,  153 

Carland,    Lewis    J 142 

Carmichael,    Thomas    H 167 

Carpenter,    Matthew    H 170 

Cartter,    David   K 114 

Casparis,    James 4 

Cass,    Lewis 7,    8 

Chandler,   James    Henry 65,    68 

Chandler,    Mrs.    James    Henry, 

65,  67 

Chase,    Salmon   P 9,   71,    83,    114 

Clampitt,    John    W., 

124,    132,    134,    136,    157 

Clark,   Allen   C 172,    173 

Clark,   Colonel   George,  Jr.,  27,  28 

Clarke,  John  Sleeper 93 

Clendennin,  Colonel  David  R....124 

Clephane,    James    0 117 

Cobb,     Howell 46 

Cochrane,   Colonel   John _ 75 

Colfax,    Schuyler 84,    97,    169 

Corbett,    Boston 122 

Cox,  William  Van  Zandt 172 

Cullom,    Shelby    M 170 

Dana,  Charles  A 92 

Davenport,  Edgar  L. 79 

Davis,  Dr.  Charles  W 125 

Davis,   David 22,    170 

Davis,    Mrs.    Jefferson 78 

Dempsey,   Lieut.   John   W 130 

Dennison,   William 140 

Devlin,    Luke 162 

DeWitt,  David  M 145 

Dix,    General    John    A 114 

Donoho,    Thomas    Seaton 93 

Donoho,    William    Henry 32 


175 


176        Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 


Donohoe,  John   F. 47 

Dorsey,  Mrs.  Anna  H 32 

Doster,  William  E 124-126 

Douglas,  Robert  W. 23 

Douglas,  Stephen  A 9,  14,  16,  23 

Douglas,  Stephen  A.,  Jr 23 

Douglass,    Frederick 171 

Downing,   Colonel    Otto    J 104 

DuBarry,    Mrs.    Beekman 104 

Dunbar,    E.    W 43 

Durkin,   Thomas   B 12 

Dutton,    Captain    George    W 156 

Dye,    Sergeant   Joseph    M 98 

Early,   General   Jubal   A. 60 

Eaton,    General    Amos    B. 116 

Edmonston,    Mrs.    Brook    (Miss 

Lashhorn)      44 

Edwards,     Ninian 165 

Ekin,   General  James  A 124,    131 

Ellsworth,  Colonel  Ephraim  E...  22 
Emerson,  Ralph  Waldo,  28,  57,  58 

Evans,    Mrs.    J.    H 108 

Everett    Edward 51,    52 

Farragut,    Admiral    David    G.  116 
Farren,      Mrs.      Henry      (Kate 

Reignolds    Winslow) 79 

Ferguson,  James  P 98,   99,   101 

Ferguson,    W.    J 100,    102,    108 

Fillmore,    Millard 6 

Fishback,   Frederick  L.  .3,    172,   173 

Fitman,    Thomas 32 

Fitzpatrick,    Honora 136,    137 

Flannery,     Lot 167 

Forbes,   B 22 

Forbes,  W.  H 22 

Ford,    Harry   Chapman 96 

Ford,    Henry    Clay 96 

Ford,  James  R 95 

Ford,   John   T 93,    167 

Foster,    General    Robert    S., 

124,     131 

Fowle,  John  A. 32 

Fowler,  Rev.  Henry 50 

Fox,    Captain 22 

French,    Benjamin    B., 

3,    13,    32,    51,    117,    168 

French,    Daniel    Chester 171,    172 

Fry,    Colonel    John 75 

Garrett,    Richard    H 121 

Gautier,   Charles 16 

Gerolt,   Baron   Fron 168 

Gibbons,  James   Sloane 43 


Giddings,    Joshua    R. 3 

GifFord,    James    J 142 

Gillette,  Rev.   Abraham   D 135 

Gobright,    Lawrence    A. 97 

Goodloe,    Daniel    R 83 

Gourley,  Margaret 107 

Gourley,    Thomas   C. 107,    108 

Grant,    General    Ulysses    S 85, 

95-97,     104,    125,     162,    169,     171 

Gray,    Rev.    Edgar    H 116 

Greeley,    Horace 58 

Griffin,  Appleton  P.  C 2S 

Grover,     Leonard 97 

Guerin,   Jules 171,    172 

Gurley,   Rev.   Phineas   D 90,    117 

Hackett,   James    H 79,    80,    93 

Hall,   Rev.   Charles   H 116 

Halleck,   General   Henry  W., 

58,   114,   115 

Halleck,  Mrs.  Henry  W 77 

Hamlin,    Hannibal 23 

Hancock,  John 11 1 

Hancock,    General    Winfield    S., 

124,    132,    168 

H  a  rding,     Wa  r  ren 1 72 

Harlan,     James 153 

Harris,     Ira 97 

Harris,  General  Thomas  M. 

124,    156,    157 
Hartranft,    General   John  F. 

132,    134,    154 

Hawk,   Harry 99,    100,    102 

Hawk,   William  J 100 

Hay,    John 22,    34,    81 

Hazard,   Captain   George  W 22 

Herold,    David    E 95,    119, 

122,   124,   125,   132,   135,   151,   163 

Hess,    C.    D 97 

Hitchcock,   General    E.   A. 116 

Holmead,       Mrs.       William 

(Mary    Ann) 68 

Holt,    Joseph, 

124,    126,    133,    134,    136,    141, 
143,    144,    148-156,    158,    162 

Howard,   Joseph,   Jr 15 

Howard,    General    Oliver    O. 168 

Howe,    General    Albion    P. 124 

Howe,    Julia    Ward 29 

Hoxie,    Mrs.   Richard   L.    (Vin- 

nie    Ream) 169,    170 

Hunter,  Mrs.  Alfred 32 

Hunter,    General    David 123,    131 

Jackson,    General   Thomas   J 78 

Janvier,    Francis    deHaes 31 


Name  Index 


111 


Jarrett,    Henry    C 120 

Jenkins,   John  Z. 130 

Jett,   Willie   S 125 

Johnson,   Andrew 

96,  114,  125,  129,  140,   144 
145,   149,   152-155,   168 

Johnson,    General    Joseph    E. 78 

Johnson,    Reverdy, 

124,    129,    157,   159 

Johnston,    Alva 26 

Jones,    Thomas    A 121 

Judd,    Norman    B 22 

Kautz,   General  August  V., 

123,   131 

Keckley,    Elizabeth 77,    78 

Keene,  Laura  95,  102,  103,  108,  111 

Kettler,   Louis 100,   104 

Kimmel,   Mary  L 68,   70 

King,  Preston 133,  143 

Knox,   James    Suydam 104 

Lamon,  Ward  H 22,  51,  52 

Lane,  General  James 143 

Langston,   Prof.  John   M 171 

Larner,  Noble  D 167 

Lashhorn,  Charles  S. 44 

Lee,  General  Robert  E 78,  88,  118 

Lieber,  Dr.  Francis  51 

Lincoln,  Abraham 

1-19,  22-28,  31,  35-52,  56,  59-72, 
75-93,  95-105,  107,  108,  110-118, 
125,   161,   165-174 
Lincoln,    Mrs.   Abraham 

9,   17,  22-23,   39,  40,  59-61,   63, 

71-79,    84,    86,    87,    90,    95,    97, 

101,  104-106,  109,  114,  115,  165, 

166 

Lincoln,  Robert  T.,  22,  78,  115,  172 

Lincoln,  Mrs.  Robert  T 172 

Lincoln,  Thomas  Thaddeus 

61,  62,  168,  169 

Lincoln,  William  W 23,  25 

Lindsay,  Mattie  Virginia  Sarah 

(Virginia    Lomax) 136 

Livermore,  Rev.   Daniel  P.  ....63,  64 
Livermore,  Mrs.  Daniel  P. 

(Mrs.  Mary  A.) 63,  64 

Lloyd,  John  M 126-129 

McCarthy,    John    B 31 

McClellan,  General  George  B. 

39,  48,  81,  82 


McCulloch,    Hugh 161 

McCullough,  John 93 

McFadden,    Louis  T... 107 

McGee,    John 68 

McGee,   Mrs.   John 68-70 

McGowan,  Captain  Theodore 

100,  101 

McKim,  Dr.   Samuel  A.  H 125 

McManus,  Edward 47 

McNair,    William 32 

Maddox,   James  L 142 

Mangan,  Laurence 16,  37 

Markham,  Edwin  172 

Marsh,    William 32 

Mathews,  John 96,  119 

Meigs,  General  Montgomery  C. 

114,  115 

Merrick,    Richard  T 143 

Milligan,   Lambdin 141 

Moore,    Jennie 68 

Moore,   Colonel   William   G. 

144,  145 

Morgan,    George    G.    W 32 

Morrill,   Justin    S 169 

Morris,    Maud    Burr 172 

Moton,  Dr.  Robert  R 172 

Munroe,     Seaton 110 

Murphy,   John   H 49 

Mussey,  General   Reuben  D 153 

Nealy,    Mary    E 31 

Nicolay,  John  G 22 

Noyes,    Crosby    S 167 

Oldroyd,  Osborne  H 91,  173,   174 

Oldroyd,    Mrs.    Osborne   H. 173 

Olds,    Rev.    Mark   L 135 

Olmstead,    Edward  B 169 

Owen,    Frederick    D 173 

Parker,  Myron  M 100,  104 

Patterson,   Mrs.   David  T. 140 

Patterson,    James    W. 170 

Payne,  Lewis         119,   122,  124-128, 
132,  134,  135,  151,  163 

Pearce,   James   A. 13 

Peterson,   William  113,    114 

Phillips,    Henry   B 95 

Piatt,    John    James 21 

Pierpont,   Rev.  John 32 

Pierrepont,    Edward 143,    144 


178       Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  National  Capital 


Pittman,  Benn 155,  156 

Polkinhorn,    Henry  B 104 

Poore,  Ben:  Perley 32,  52 

Porter,    Major 104 

Powell,    Rev.    George    C 122 

Preuss,  H.  Clay  32 

Proctor,   John    Clagett 172 

Pyne,   Rev.    Smith 10 

Radcliffe,   Rev.   Wallace 172 

Radford,    Admiral   William 168 

Randall,    Alexander    W 149 

Rathbone,  Major  Henry  R. 

97,  99-104 
Rathbone,   Mrs.   Henry  R. 

(Miss  Clara  H.  Harris)    97,  100, 
103,  109 

Rathbone,  Henry  R 97,  173 

Ray,   H.   Cordelia 171 

Read,  Thomas  Buchanan 29 

Reynolds,     Captain 13 

Ridenour,     Major 48 

Riggs,    George   W 167 

Robbins,   Zenas    C 41 

Robinson,    Grant   P 32,    33 

Robinson,    General    John    C 22 

Roosevelt,  Theodore 26 

Ross,  Mrs.  W.  E.  W. 

(Miss    Jennie    Anderson) 108 

Rudolph,    Cuno    H 172 

Russell,    William    H 76 

Sanderson,    William 4 

Sargent,    Nathan 3,    40 

Schenck,  General  Robert  C 90 

Scott,     Charlotte 170 

Scott,    General    Winfield 9 

Scott,   Private   William 47 

Searing,    Laura    Catherine 

(Miss   Redden) 32 

Seward,   William   H 9,   25,   52, 

71,  90,   114,  122,  123,  153 

Shannon,    J.    Harry 136 

Sherman,  General  William  T 162 

Sherman,  Mrs.  William  T 162 

Shoemaker,    Dr.    William    L 32 

Simpson,    Rev.    Mathew 116 

Sioussat,    St.    George    L 145 

Smith,   Mrs.   Caleb  B 40 

Smith,  Rev.  George  Williamson  15 
Smith,  Major  Henry  Warren 

127,   130 

Smith,  Rev.  John  C 23 

Spanier,  Algenia 44 


Spear,   G.   G 108 

Speed,  James,  124,  141,  152,  153,  155 

Spriggs,    Mrs.    Benjamin 3 

Stannard,   Prof.    W.   J 173 

Stanton,    Edwin   M 36,   60,   71, 

114,  115,  132,  145,  149,  153,  161 

Stedman,  Edmund  C 32 

Stewart,  Joseph  B 103,  109 

Stone,    Frederick 124 

Strider,    John   61 

Strider,   Luke   C 62 

Struthers,  Jeannie  Gourley,  107,  108 

Stuntz,    Joseph _ 61 

Stuntz,  Mrs.  Joseph 

(Appolonia)    61 

Sumner,  Charles 84,  90,  115 

Sumner,  General  Edwin  V 22 

Sunderland,  Rev.  Byron 41 

Surratt,    Anna    E 130,    137 

Surratt,  John  H 127,  129,  142-144 

Surratt,  Mary  E. 

123,    126-140,    142-144,    146-163 

Taft,  Dr.  Charles  S 103,  107 

Taft,    William    H 172 

Taney,  Roger  B 13 

Tanner,  James 113-116 

Taylor,  Benjamin  F 55 

Taylor,     Hawkins 7 

Taylor,  Zachary 5-8 

Teschemacher,    Henry    F 56 

Thomas,  Rt.  Rev.  Mongr. 

Cornelius     F 173 

Tileston,  Major  George  F 27 

Tindall,  Dr.  William 112,  172 

Tisdale,   William   H 44 

Todd,  Lockwood  22 

Tompkins,   Colonel  Charles  H. 

124,  131 

Topham,   Washington   172 

Townsend,  George  Alfred 32,  123 

Tracy,    Henry    R 32 

Trowbridge,    John   T 29 

Trueman,    Helen 108 

Trumbull,     Lyman 170 

Tyler,  John 9,  21,  50 

Usher,    John   P 57 

Walch,    Hadley    H 113 

Walch,    Henry   F 113 

Wallace,   General  Lewis 123,   158 

Wallace,   Dr.   William  S 22 

Wallach,  Richard     41,  56,   57,   167 
Wallack,  James   W. 79 


Name  Index 


179 


Walter,  Rev.  Jacob  A. 

134,  135,  139,  157 

Washburne,  Elihu  B 7,  8,  88 

Weichmann,  Louis  J. 

127-129,  131,  132,   134, 
135,   142,   156-159,   162 

Welles,    Gideon 140,    149 

Welles,  Mrs.  Gideon _ 140 

Whitman,  Walt 1,  35,  56,  105,  112 

Whittier,  John  Greenleaf 29 

Whyte,    Wiliam    Pinkney 6 

Wiget,  Rev.  Bernardine 135 

Williams,  Archibald 5 


Williams,    Mrs.    Robert    (Miss 
Adele    Cutts,    Mrs.    Stephen 

A.    Douglas) 23,    133,    163 

Willis,    Nathaniel    P 25 

Windle,    Mary   J 139 

Withers,   Prof.   William,   Jr. 

96,  102,  107 

Wood,    Daniel    P 22 

Woodbury,  Harry  E 32 

Wright,    General    Horace    G 60 

Wright,  Richard 32 

Wylie,    Andrew 124,    159-161 


